This archive report was first published on 19 September 2019.
Published on September 19, 2019, the recent census in Kenya was a missed opportunity to gather crucial data for the Big Four Agenda, the president's legacy agenda, and other critical policies.
As Thomas Edison once said, 'Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.' The census enumerators, dressed in overalls, looked like they were working, but they missed the opportunity to ask questions that would have provided valuable data.
One such question was about medical insurance. The census could have validated the number of people insured under the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF), which is estimated to be around 7.5 million. This data would have helped establish the precise number of people who lack insurance and are a fiscal burden to themselves and their families.
Another missed opportunity was the lack of questions about household income. Statistics from household income and expenditure are essential in determining minimum wage levels and wage determination, which is often contentious between unions and employers.
The absence of such data undermines the lives of millions of people, even in times of economic boom. It is well acknowledged that before organizations benefit from big data, they often must deal with bad data.
Future censuses should take into consideration many important variables, including household income and skills inventory. Developing an app that allows respondents to fill in the questionnaire, which would be validated by actual enumerators, could also reduce the time spent responding to questions.
Attaining universal insurance coverage can also be used as a proxy for real-time census data. Census data is essential for policy development, planning, and decision-making in public services development and resource allocation.
It is hoped that future censuses will learn from the missed opportunities of the recent census and strive to gather more comprehensive data.
