Get ready to be counted- Latest information on the 2019 Kenya Census exercise

Press Statement by the Acting Cabinet Secretary for National Treasury and Planning Hon. (Amb.) Ukur Yatani on the upcoming 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census

Get ready to be counted

I wish to inform the public that plans for the 2019 Population and Housing Census which will start from night of 24/25th August 2019 and continue up to 31st August 2019 are complete. This will be the eighth Census since, 1948 and the sixth since independence. The Census is an important process to which the Government attaches great value, due to the need for evidence in planning. Evidence-based decision making is a universally recognized approach to the efficient management of countries.

The implementation of the Census is anchored on the United Nations Principles and Recommendations for Population and Housing Censuses and guidelines for conducting the 2020 round of censuses. These guide statistical agencies throughout the world, in planning and carrying out improved, internationally comparable and, cost-effective censuses.

It will be the first Census to be undertaken since the introduction of devolution in line with the Constitution of Kenya 2010. The census is implemented in three phases namely; Pre-enumeration, Enumeration and Post enumeration.

The Government through the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), has completed most of the pre-enumeration activities as follows:

• Cartographic Mapping of the whole country to establish enumeration areas (EAs). The mapping started in 2016 and was completed in May 2019. A total of 129,123 enumeration areas were established with each having an average of 100 households. Each EA will be served by one enumerator.
• Census Questionnaires. The census questionnaires were developed through a consultative process with the stakeholders. The key thematic areas covered include individual information regarding sex, age, religion, marital status, ethnicity/nationality and migration status, fertility levels of females aged 12 years and above, information regarding persons with disability, education attainment, labour force particulars, information regarding ICT, agriculture and household conditions and amenities.
• Data capture: For the first time, the census data will be captured electronically through a mobile device (tablet). The data capture application has been designed and has in-built checks to ensure data quality. This paperless process will further guarantee data security and timeliness of processing and release of results.
• A pilot census was undertaken in August 2018. It sought to test various aspects which include; logistics, accuracy of the maps, questionnaires, adequacy of personnel and data capture application.
• Recruitment of census personnel who include 2,467 ICT supervisors, 22,268 content supervisors and 138,572 enumerators has been undertaken through the County Census Committees.
• Mobile devices and other accessories to be used for data collection have been assembled locally by Moi University in Eldoret and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kiambu County. It is worth mentioning that the assembly process has indeed created employment opportunities for many young Kenyans while also promoting the “Buy Kenya Build Kenya initiative.” At the same time, the process resulted in acquisition and transfer of valuable knowledge and skills. All ICT infrastructure as well as security of equipment are in place thereby guaranteeing a smooth enumeration process.

I wish further to inform you that:

• The Training of the ICT supervisors was completed on 2nd August 2019, while the training of the content supervisors that started on 5th August 2019 will end on 11th August 2019. The final training of enumerators will commence on 14th August 2019 and be completed on 21st August 2019.
• On publicity and advocacy, which has been intensified from today, we are embarking on an intensive campaign with a view of creating the needed awareness of the exercise. The purpose of the campaign is to minimize mis-conception about the various pertinent concerns by the members of the public regarding census. I wish at this stage to appeal to our political leaders to take their respective roles in preparing their regions/ Counties to support the census process.
• I further confirm that all necessary security arrangements regarding census have been completed. I wish to assure Kenyans that the security of all persons who will be visited during the census enumeration and for the personnel who will be conducting enumeration is fully guaranteed by the government. In this regard, the census officers will be accompanied by the village elders or residents’ association leaders, known to the household members for purposes of comfort setting.

Assurance
The Government wishes to assure Kenyans that the utmost level of the confidentiality of the information that will be collected will be guaranteed in conformity with the UN fundamental Principles of Official Statistics and as stipulated in the Statistics Act, 2006.

I thank the Cabinet Secretary for Education for agreeing to our request for moving the opening of schools to 2nd September 2019 for purposes of the census.

We have also requested the Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government to liaise with His Excellency the President to declare 26th August 2019 a public holiday to facilitate a smooth enumeration process.

All residents are encouraged to cooperate with the teams that will visit them for the census enumeration and provide accurate information. We are therefore saying to all Jitokeze Uhesabike!