Kampala, (UG):- The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) Executive Director, Dr Chris Mukiza has vowed not to step down from his position as the country’s Chief Statistician amid backlash over mistakes in the recently released 2024 census results.
“Some people are after my neck over errors, but I am going nowhere. Don’t expect any other census before 2034. This is the only one you’ll have. Whatever you want to quote, it will be this one,” Dr Mukiza said in a press briefing held Tuesday at the Serena Hotel in Kampala.
Dr Mukiza admitted there were mistakes but insisted that errors are a normal part of the process. He urged critics to shift their focus from personal attacks to more constructive discussions.
“There is no reason for me to resign. The error was a simple human mistake, and we’ve acknowledged that. But I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere,” he stated, shrugging off the public pressure.
The Ubos ED who oversaw the census exercise as the chief commissioner expressed his frustration, stating, “Everybody is on Mukiza’s neck. Why waste time on data? Why not say we want your neck?”
“I’m still here, leading this institution, and I will continue to serve until the time is right for me to step down,” he emphasized, adding that his enemies have been seeking his removal for years but have failed in their attempts.
The 2024 census, which reported Uganda’s population at 45.9 million, saw the Bakiga and Bagisu populations mistakenly swapped during the initial dissemination of the data. Mukiza, however, reassured the public that this error would be corrected in the final thematic reports set to be released in December.
Highlighting the achievements of UBOS, Mukiza said the 2024 census was Uganda’s first-ever digital census, involving comprehensive data collection efforts that captured over 160 questions from households and more than 60 questions at the community level (NPHC 2024 PPT versions, etc.).
Despite the errors, Mukiza emphasized that the census results will remain the official data for Uganda’s national planning until the next census rolls around until the next population census in 2034.
He further noted that Uganda’s population has grown by over 11 million since 2014, a testament to the country’s demographic expansion.
Mukiza also hinted that there might be personal motives behind the criticism, saying, “Enemies have been hunting me even before I became the ED,” suggesting that the attacks could be part of a larger effort to undermine him.
With the controversy surrounding the 2024 census continuing, UBOS pledged to maintain transparency and accuracy for subsequent reports and enumeration results.
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