Jinja Census Stumbles: Glitches and Alleged Irregularities Mar First Day

The rollout of the 2024 Population and Housing Census in Jinja City stumbled yesterday, marred by technical problems and accusations of irregularities.

Technical Hurdles:

Enumerators equipped with Computer Aided Personal Interview (CAPI) machines faced a frustrating start. Many machines lacked essential pre-loaded data, including information on designated enumeration areas and housing units. Without this critical information, enumerators were unable to effectively carry out their duties. By late afternoon, a large number remained stranded at City Hall, unable to deploy to their assigned locations.

Disgruntled Workforce:

The technical glitches weren't the only source of frustration. Disgruntled enumerators complained about malfunctioning machines and a lack of clear deployment information. Some made disturbing allegations, claiming their names were mysteriously replaced with those of civil servants on official deployment lists. This raised concerns about their training allowances and the possibility of being excluded from the crucial exercise altogether.

Allegations of Irregularities:

The accusations cast a shadow of doubt on the selection process. Enumerators and supervisors, speaking anonymously, alleged that City Hall officials replaced their names with those of government employees. This practice, if true, violates established procedures for enumerator selection. The lack of transparency and potential for exclusion fueled anxiety among trained enumerators who had invested time and effort in preparing for the census.

Uneven Implementation:

While technical issues and alleged irregularities plagued most areas of Jinja, some villages managed to proceed with the census. Lawrence Ssemaganda, the LCI Chairperson of Alidina Village, confirmed that the enumeration exercise had begun in his area. Despite public cooperation, Ssemaganda noted concerns about the lengthy questionnaire.

Unanswered Questions:

Efforts to obtain a comment from the head of the Jinja City census exercise proved unsuccessful. This lack of communication adds to the prevailing uncertainty.

A Call for Transparency:

The initial chaos in Jinja highlights the need for immediate action. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) must address the technical glitches, investigate the allegations of irregularities, and implement a transparent deployment process. Only by regaining public trust and ensuring a fair and efficient census can UBOS guarantee the accuracy of the data collected in Jinja City.