The Uganda Bureau of Statistics has reached out to police and local government leaders to investigate new allegations of fraud in the recruitment of census enumerators and supervisors. The statistics body now wants all officials involved in this fraud to be arrested and terminated.
The directive came after reports emerged that some candidates who qualified for the census jobs were sidelined supposedly after failing to bribe the recruiting officials.
The bureau now says it has received new information that some people who were shortlisted and called for interviews have been thrown out, while those who never took interviews are being recruited in different parts of the country.
Chris Mukiza, the UBOS Executive Director described these recruitment malpractices as “worrying.” before declaring; “I have now commissioned security forces to investigate these cases and we have already got some of the culprits.”
The Ubos boss was Saturday flagging off some of the census materials to the districts ahead of the census exercise which begins on May 09th 2024.
“We have asked the Chief Administrative Officers to ensure that those who are on the lists wrongfully are removed and to put only those who qualify,” Mr Mukiza added. “Even the district officials who are involved in these malpractices, we have asked CAOs to replace them.”
Early this month, UBOS confirmed receiving complaints from applicants who hadn’t been shortlisted. The complaints centred on three main issues: qualified applicants being overlooked, fraudulent requests for payment, and a fake online recruitment advertisement.
According to Dr Mukiza, the complaints raised among others include;
a) That those with qualifications have been excluded and those without genuine qualifications are being shortlisted.
b) That there are conmen who are calling the applicants to pay One Hundred Thousand shillings (UGX100,000/=) in order to participate in the interview processes.
c) There is a fake online advert making rounds on social media about Census recruitment.
Last month, UBOS rolled out the nationwide online recruitment process for 114,460 enumerators and 18,483 supervisors.
To address concerns about erroneous shortlisting, Mukiza ordered for extension of the display of shortlisted candidates until April 12th. This was hoped to allow for public scrutiny and reporting of any irregularities.
Regarding the fake online advertisement, UBOS declared: “The Census recruitment portal closed on 22nd March 2024 and, therefore, is no longer solicitation of Applicants for Enumeration Supervisors and Enumerators.”
Mukiza further urged the applicants who believe they were unfairly excluded to file a formal complaint with evidence of their application.
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