This archive report was first published on 17 August 2019.
Kenya's 2019 census, scheduled for August 24, marks a significant milestone in the country's history, as it will be the first time the population has been enumerated since the Constitution was promulgated in 2010.
Conducted by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the census will use digital gadgets to capture data, making it easier to collate and analyze. However, the exercise is not without its challenges.
One of the main concerns is the assumption that everyone will be in the presence of people who know where they will be spending the night on August 24. This assumption can lead to distorted data, particularly in cases where people are away from home or have left children undeclared to their spouses.
Additionally, the census questionnaire may not account for individuals who do not identify with their assigned gender, or those with gender-neutral names. Enumerators may also face challenges in collecting data from communities that strongly discourage parents from counting their children, as it is believed to bring ill luck.
Religious beliefs and cultural practices can also hinder the collection of accurate data. For instance, female enumerators may be asked to avoid certain communities that believe women should be in their homes at night, while male enumerators may face difficulties in collecting data from communities that believe women should not give personal information to males outside their own families.
Furthermore, an inadequate or ineffective census education campaign can lead to flawed data, as some people may not be aware of the upcoming census. The state of infrastructure in certain regions may also hinder the collection of factual data, particularly in areas that are inaccessible by road.
Lastly, the belief that the data collected is for political purposes may lead to a lack of commitment from the population, making it difficult to collect accurate data.
It is essential for every Kenyan to understand that providing data on tribe is not an act of tribalism, but rather a matter of demographics.
