• CS says those found to be inciting wananchi will face the law.
• Census should be treated with the decency it deserves, he says.
Image: GEORGE OWITI
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has cautioned politicians against inciting their constituents to boycott the national census on Saturday.
Matiang’i said the exercise is straightforward and should not be politicized.
The CS said Kenya is a modern country and the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census should be treated with the decency it deserves.
“I urge our leaders, especially the politicians, to support Census. This is a straightforward census exercise and let’s leave it at that. Let’s do this with decency,” said Matiang’i.
Matiang’i spoke during the last inter-ministerial press briefing on the 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census preparedness at his Harambee House office in Nairobi on Thursday.
He said the government was aware and monitoring the politicians’ activities and meetings to incite their supporters.
“We are monitoring those activities. We are aware of the meetings that you had last night. At the end of the day you will meet with the law. Let’s desist from these activities,” he said.
The CS was flanked by his counterparts Ukur Yatani (Treasury), Joe Mucheru (ICT) and Kenya National Bureau of Statistics director general Zachary Chege.
The government confirmed all preparations for the census are complete.
“The Government of Kenya through Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has finished all the preparatory activities for the forthcoming 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census due to commence on the night of August 24 and continue to 31st,” Yatani said.
He said planning started in 2016 with mapping that established 129, 123 enumeration areas. A pilot census exercise was conducted in August last year.
The pilot tested adequacy of logistics, personnel, maps as well as admissibility of questionnaires and other data applications.
“It is all systems go as all personnel have been identified, trained and deployed to their respective remuneration centres across the country,” Yatani said.
Over 129,000 enumerators have been deployed to cover conventional households with an additional 9,000 others to cover special populations in prisons, police cells, hospitals and travelers.
Yatani said that the enumerators will be supported by village and county elders.
All the materials to be used in the exercise have been distributed to the 47 county headquarters which will issue them to the personnel involved in the exercise.
“Sensitization has been going on, key messages developed and briefing to continue throughout the period."
Yatani said that a communication centre has been established to relay information on an hourly basis.
"Primary results of the exercise will be out in three months' time after the exercise, a preliminary report six months and a final report one year after the census,” he said.
A Sh18.5 billion budget allocated for the exercise is spread over five years from 2017 to 2020.
Census design, development and planning cost Sh255 million, cartographic mapping Sh3 billion, publicity Sh500 million, piloting Sh518 million, while the main exercise is expected to cost Sh10 billion.
ICT, equipment and software cost Sh3 billion.
Yatani said the biggest proportion of the allocation will go to personnel remuneration.
He said the 2019 census will be credible based on technology compared to 2009.
He said that two local universities assembled the tablets to be used in the exercise.
“The gadgets will be used later for other activities. They will create over 2,000 jobs.”
The government said money had already been transferred to all counties to pay personnel.
“Consider this as a patriotic duty. Jitokeze uhesabike,” Yatani.