This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
The nationwide census, which began on August 24, 2019, and was initially set to end on August 31, 2019, has seen the government extend working hours for census personnel in populous urban areas.
According to Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, the enumeration time has been extended from 6am to 10pm in urban centres, while in the rest of the country, it will end at 9pm.
Dr. Kibicho stated, "Kenyans think it's taking too long for them to be counted. We have agreed to extend the working hours, especially in the urban areas because they are concentrated, from 6am to 10pm."
Enumerators in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kakamega, Nyeri, Kiambu, Thika, Machakos, and Kisii will stop knocking on doors at 10pm.
Additionally, the government has redeployed 10,000 enumerators who had been assigned special areas like prisons, street families, and hotels to back up their colleagues counting people at home.
Dr. Kibicho assured Kenyans that all households will be reached before the August 31 deadline, stating, "Those who have not been reached yet, we are coming and we have time."
The government has also addressed concerns over data privacy, assuring citizens that the collected data will be used strictly for planning purposes.
