Authorities in Luwero District have apprehended a census enumerator following the reported theft of his census gadget from his rented residence. The suspect, a student at Bukalasa Agricultural College and resident of Wobulenzi Town Council, is currently in police custody as investigations unfold.
The stolen device, a computer tablet provided by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) for the ongoing 2024/2025 census exercise, was entrusted to the enumerator for the population count in Kikube Village, Luwero District.
Richard Ssimbwa, the LC3 Chairperson of Luwero, denounced the incident as an act of negligence on the part of the enumerator. “Losing the census gadget reflects poorly on the responsibility bestowed upon the enumerator,” Ssimbwa emphasized.
Confirming the arrest, Luwero District Police Commander, John Ojokuna, stressed the gravity of the situation, stating that government property, such as the census tablet, must be safeguarded at all times. “The responsibility for the security of census materials lies squarely with the enumerators,” Ojokuna affirmed.
He urged enumerators to prioritize the safety of their gadgets, advising them to seek refuge at the nearest police station if faced with security concerns after work. “It’s imperative to ensure the integrity of the census process by safeguarding census materials,” Ojokuna reiterated.
Despite the setback, Luwero Resident District Commissioner Richard Bwabye Ntulume assured the public that contingency measures are in place to mitigate any disruptions to the census exercise. “We have a surplus of trained enumerators ready to step in when needed,” Ntulume assured.
Erasto Kibirango, the District Chairperson, called upon residents and leaders to cooperate fully with census enumerators to guarantee the success of the exercise. “Accurate census data is vital for effective future planning and development,” Kibirango emphasized.
Luwero District boasts a trained workforce of 1,532 enumerators, 192 supervisors, and over 36 reserve enumerators to ensure a comprehensive population count. With tonight marking the census night and tomorrow declared a public holiday by the government, the stage is set for the commencement of the census activities, which will span over the next 10 days nationwide.
