Kampala, Uganda | PWATCH UG | Speaker Anita Among has instructed the government to present the complete 2024 Census report to Parliament, following public outcry over discrepancies in the provisional census data. She stressed the importance of a thorough review to address concerns raised by various stakeholders.
During a plenary session on October 23, 2024, Amos Lugoloobi, Minister of State for Planning, attempted to clarify the inconsistencies in the census data. However, MPs expressed skepticism about the sufficiency of his statement, insisting on the need for the full census report.
“We need to know the source of this document,” Speaker Among stated. “The minister must have a report from which he is quoting these figures. A partial statement is not enough.”
Jonathan Odur (Erute South) criticized the Ministry of Finance’s intention to submit a statement, noting that the initial census report had been withdrawn due to allegations of data manipulation and inaccuracies.
“The legal framework for the census requires a detailed examination of 36 parameters. What we’ve seen indicates the census was poorly conducted, with claims of manipulated data. Many households were never approached by enumerators, and the provisional report has since been recalled,” Odur argued.
He emphasized that Parliament needs the official census report rather than a mere ministerial explanation.
In contrast, Ibrahim Ssemujju (Kira Municipality) urged Parliament to review the minister's statement before dismissing it outright. “The Minister of Finance has committed to addressing the concerns raised. We shouldn’t rule out the statement before hearing its content,” Ssemujju noted.
Minister Lugoloobi assured Parliament that the final census report is set to be released in December 2024, clarifying that the data currently available is provisional.
“In December 2024, we will present the final National Census report. The data we have now is provisional,” he confirmed.
