The 2021 Midterm Population and Housing Census is commencing today, 10 December 2021 amidst financial challenges and poor planning.

The Census which is highly unpopular among the opposition is expected to go ahead even though World Bank, a major funder of the Census, has withdrawn its funding.

There are inevitable challenges facing the Commencement of the Census. These include poor coordination, ill-preparation, inadequate funding and most importantly poor corporation from people to be counted.

Across the country, around 14,000 field staff (enumerators and supervisors) have been trained and were supposed to be paid training allowances before the commencement of the Census exercise.

Reports show that Statistics are unable to pay field staff their training allowances, but has however told field staff that they will be paid later. This has generated grievance among workers.

Also, money expected to be paid to workers for the 14 day contract has been cut down.

There is also the challenge of giving out logistics to field workers. Identification cards, power banks and other logistics needed for the field work have not been given to field workers.

There is also the challenge of allocation of enumerators to different to enumeration areas. Many workers have tablets but they don’t know where they will be doing enumeration.

On statement and on the media, Census has begun, but in reality it has not. For instance, over 1,000 field staff in the Western Urban have yet to be given any dime for the work, and workers have made it clear that NO PAY, NO WORK.