KAMPALA, Uganda – The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has addressed controversy surrounding errors in the National Population and Housing Census report, released last week.
Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza dismissed calls for resignation, stating, “Errors are made every day… I’m not resigning. I’m still serving my country that I love. I’m one of the best statisticians by the way. Do you want to get a better one? Good luck.”
The errors in question relate to population figures by tribe and religion in the 2024 census results. Acting Deputy Executive Director Vincent Ssenono attributed the mistakes to an error during the compilation of the final report, specifically affecting tribal population data. “It wasn’t true that the population of some tribes reduced as shown. We had an error,” Ssenono explained.
According to Ssenono, the 2024 census figures were accurate, but issues arose from misreported 2014 census data, impacting percentage calculations. He emphasized that almost all major tribes experienced growth, citing a 2.4% growth rate for the Baganda, Banyankore, Basoga, Bateso, and Bakiga.
The 2024 census revealed Uganda’s population stands at 43.8 million, up from 34.6 million in 2014. The population growth rate is 2.4%, down from 3.2% in the previous decade. Urban population growth rate is 4.5%, while rural growth rate is 2.1%. Life expectancy at birth is 63.4 years, up from 59.4 years in 2014. The total fertility rate (TFR) is 4.4 children per woman, down from 5.4 in 2014.
Regarding religious data discrepancies, Ssenono explained that growth rates, not actual numbers, were the issue. Major religious groups like Catholics, Muslims, and Anglicans saw increased populations, but slower growth rates compared to other groups. For instance, Roman Catholics grew from 13,426,520 to 16,612,537, but their percentage growth relative to the total population slowed.
Ssenono reassured the public of UBOS’s commitment to transparency, acknowledging that errors are inevitable and pledging to correct them. “As UBOS, we say to err is human. When you note an error, you call the public and inform them of it.”
The bureau has vowed to rectify the errors and provide accurate information to the public. The transparency and accountability of UBOS are crucial in maintaining public trust, especially considering the significant role census data plays in national and local planning.
The corrected census report will provide valuable insights into Uganda’s demographic trends, informing policy decisions and resource allocation.
