UNAPOLOGETIC! UBOS boss vows not to bow down to Detractors over an error in Census dissemination report 

By Evans Najuna 

KAMPALA – Following the recent released 2024 National Population and Housing Census dissemination report that saw skirmishes of criticism in the media and public domain, the chief statistician who doubles as the Executive Director of Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has vowed not to resign over  typo errors that caused a mismatch in the report.

The Execute Director made the remarks on Tuesday, this week while addressing a media breakfast meeting that was held at Serena hotel in Kampala.

Earlier, while explaining the mismatch in the report, the Acting Deputy Executive Director, Dr.  Fred Ssenono narrated that the only mismatching errors were on religion and tribe figures of 2014  population census.

He highlighted that the typo interswitch only happened on figures of; Bakiga, Acholi, Langi and Basigu. According to Ssenono, Bagisu were captured as 2,390,975 but supposed to 1,647,382 while Bakiga capture as 1,470,884 but supposed to be 2,390,975, the Acholi 2,131,443 supposed to be 1,470,884 and Langi 1,647,382.

Dr Ssenono also clarified that no religion or faith had a decline in its faithfuls but rather all religions have an increase with some growing at a decreasing rate.

It was from this background that, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Executive Director Dr. Chris Mukiza alluded on and stood to raise unapologetic remarks of not resigning as earlier pushes by a section of media houses and online activists.

“I will not resign over an error in 2024 Census dissemination report” said Dr. Mukiza.

Adding that for those critics who have pilling a lot of dust on him to resign, he’s not ready to leave the statistics house. He also retaliated that errors are human, explaining that the errors were only made on the previous census results of 2014 which didn’t change the figures of 2024.

He called on some media house and those were criticising him to style up adding that as far as the Uganda Census 2024 roadmap, they still have more time up to December to compile the final report.

He reminded the public that UBOS is the only statistics body in Uganda that is responsible for National statistical data and the 2024 census results will be used for next 10yr until 2034.

Concerning undercounting, he said this happens everywhere, challenging his detractors to give him examples of neighbouring countries which have ever counted and counted everybody.

He further challenged them that if any statistician convinces them that he can count 100%, he or she will be telling lies.

Mukiza reaffirms the country that UBOS is statistical body that follows all the fundamentals of statistics which must be timely and accessible to everyone. Noting that the longer they delay the more the interference and confusion.

“For those who want me to go, I may go but it will take longer to get someone like me. I still have time to train some of staff members and there I will be able to go” he concluded.