This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
On August 16, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that August 26 would be a public holiday to allow for maximum enumeration during the national population census.
Speaking at the Kenyatta National Convention Centre in Nairobi, the President said that the holiday was necessary to ensure that all Kenyans participate in the census, particularly pastoralists, staff in essential and emergency service sectors, and persons who support international travel and airlines.
President Kenyatta assured Kenyans of their security during the census exercise, stating that necessary steps had been taken to ensure the activity took place in a safe environment and with minimal disruption.
He also highlighted the use of technology in the census, noting that mobile telephony devices and other accessories used in the activity had been locally assembled at Moi University and the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.
According to the President, data captured during this year's census would be more detailed than in previous similar exercises, taking care of all aspects of national planning and resource utilization.
President Kenyatta called on all Kenyans to support the census process, saying it was their patriotic duty to do so.
