THE 2022 Population and Housing Census (PHC), which kicked off countrywide on August 23 this year, has reached 86 per cent, countrywide as of on Sunday morning, with citizens responding well to the crucial exercise.
This was revealed on Sunday by National Coordinator of Population and Housing Census, Mr Seif Kuchengo, in an exclusive interview with the ‘Daily News’. He insisted that the demographic survey is well on course.
“The head count is going on as planned and until today morning (yesterday) we have reached 86 per cent. The enumerators are still working under good supervision of the authorities and we hope everyone will be reached during the remaining day,” he said.
Mr Kuchengo elaborated that the head count is going to be completed today, thereafter, the housing census will start tomorrow and the exercise will last for three days.
He added that the PHC has so far registered huge success, as the citizens have responded positively to the exercise.
“We are pleased with the response from ‘wananchi’ and it all came as a result of a massive education campaign initiated by the government, to enlighten people on the significance of PHC in relation to their daily lives.
“Before the beginning of the head count, we did research on the understanding and response of the citizens regarding the census and the final assessment showed that 99 per cent of the citizens have an understanding of the census and are ready to participate,” he added.
Meanwhile, the government has warned the population and housing census clerks to stop taking pictures with members of the households they engage with, while conducting their head count task.
The NBS Director General Dr Albina Chuwa said it was a criminal offense for the census clerks to take photos and videos, while receiving information in people’s houses and spreading them on social media.
Dr Chuwa gave the warning when she spoke to journalists in Iringa region on Sunday.
“According to the Statistics Act chapter 351, it is an offense to record a video or photograph of a citizen whom you are interviewing to receive his information,” she warned.
Dr Chuwa added that the penalty for doing so is a six months jail sentence or a fine of 2m/- or both”.
Dr Albina Chuwa called upon census clerks to abide by the terms of their contracts of registering 150 households in urban and 100 in rural areas, warning that those who will not meet the target will not be paid their final package of allowance.
She said that the demographic survey is well on course countrywide and the government is satisfied with the progress, insisting that they expect it to be completed as scheduled.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa directed Regional Commissioners in the country to strengthen communications in order to address arising challenges in the ongoing Population and Housing Census.
Data collection of the country’s population kicked off countrywide on August 23 this year, where as of Thursday 5,060,158 households with a total of 22,004,910 people had been covered.
The Premier also directed the RCs to control census misconducts in social media including abuse of reflective jackets by effectively using their Information and Communication Technology (ICT) teams.
The PM told the RCs in a virtual meeting held on Thursday while at his Magogoni Office in Dar es Salaam that, every region should have statistics collected every day in order to identify the shortfalls and address them for smooth execution of the exercise.
“You are required to have statistics collected everyday by 8pm… this will help to identify areas with challenges and increase manpower to the areas where the counting pace is slow,” the PM said.
Majaliwa also directed regional and district census committees to make close monitoring of the exercise in their respective areas to ensure that the census clerks do their work accordingly.
