The highly-anticipated national census 2019 starts on the night of August 24 and will extend up to August 31, 2019.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has tapped 138,572 enumerators, 22,268 content supervisors and 2,467 ICT supervisors for the exercise that will require citizens to open their doors for strangers.
Naturally, there are some security concerns on how safe the exercise will be, given that criminals may seize the opportunity to stage attacks.
To distinguish between KNBS staff and criminals, KNBS Director in charge of Population and Social Statistics MacDonald Obudho has revealed the key identifiers you should look out for.
The key identifiers of the permitted officials conducting the census are:
- IDENTIFICATION
The census enumerators and supervisors will be issued with an official badge stating their names and ID number. The badges will have the government, KNBS and census logo.
- UNIFORM
The census staff will wear orange and maroon reflector jackets. The jackets will have a government logo on the right and a census one on the left. The jackets will also have the census motto ‘Jitokeze Uhesabike’ printed on the back.
- GADGETS
They will also have a black CAPI tablet with the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics logo at the back since all information will be captured electronically.
- LOCAL LEADERS
The enumerators will be accompanied by residents’ association leaders or welfare security group leaders who are well known to the household members for purposes of comfort setting.
- NO CHARGES
Enumerators are not allowed to ask for money from citizens and therefore no one should give out money to any enumerator for the process to be conducted. The process is free to all households.
- TIME
An enumerator will spend about 30 minutes in each house. This may be shorter or longer depending on the number of members in the household.
- MARKING
Once the enumerator has collected data from your household, he/she will write a number on the door or at any visible place on the structure or issue a structure numbering card to indicate that counting has been conducted.
- REHEARSAL
Prior to the material day, there will be a census ‘rehearsals’ day during which residents and enumerators will have an opportunity to familiarise with the exercise.
- RECRUITMENT
County census committees were responsible for recruiting the enumerators and supervisors, who are expected to work in their respective areas. They recruitment was to ensure that they live within the areas where they will conduct the exercise and are therefore known to the residents.
INFORMATION TO BE COLLECTED
The enumerators will ask questions on personal and household information. This includes:
- Personal information regarding age, gender, date of birth, nationality/ethnicity, religion, mental status, place of birth, marital status and migration status, persons with disability, education, and occupation.
- Females will also be asked about the number of living children they have given birth to.
- Information regarding access and ownership of ICT equipment and services, crop farming, livestock and aquaculture, housing characteristics and ownership of assets.
In case your household will not have been enumerated by August 31, a toll-free number will be provided for you to contact KNBS to send an enumerator, alternatively, you can report to the local administrative office.
