The census is the cornerstone of national planning, influencing everything from resource allocation to political representation.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has admitted to an error in the recently released report concerning the 2024 National Housing and Population Census.
The bureau acknowledged that the mistake occurred in the figures of the 2014 census for four ethnic groups--Bakiga, Bagisu, Acholi, and Langi--whose population data had been incorrectly interchanged.
"As UBOS we say to err is human," said the acting deputy executive director, Vincent Ssenono, in a press briefing.
This admission comes in the wake of growing public scrutiny, especially from communities like the Bagisu, who questioned the reported decline in their population despite maintaining a high fertility rate over the years.
UBOS has, however, assured the public that while the 2014 figures had discrepancies, the 2024 census results are accurate and free from such errors.
Why UBOS' Admission Matters
UBOS' admission of an error is not just a routine correction--it carries significant implications for the credibility of national data and the public trust in future census exercises.
The census is the cornerstone of national planning, influencing everything from resource allocation to political representation.
Acknowledging a mistake as serious as misreporting population figures of major ethnic groups raises concerns about how much faith Ugandans can place in past and future data.
For the four affected communities, UBOS' statement is more than just an apology--it is an acknowledgment that their populations may have been underrepresented for an entire decade.
This has far-reaching effects, especially for regions that depend on accurate demographic data for equitable distribution of government resources and services.
Census data is a vital tool for national development. It informs policies on health, education, infrastructure, and public services, and it is used by the government to determine funding allocations.
A significant error, such as the one UBOS has now acknowledged, can skew these distributions, potentially leading to imbalances in resource allocation that affect millions.
For instance, a tribe or region undercounted in a census might receive less government support, underrepresentation in parliament, or miss out on development projects tailored to its actual population size.
For a nation that relies on precise data to drive its development agenda, even a small error can have a profound impact on livelihoods.
Restoring Public Trust
By admitting this mistake, UBOS is taking a crucial step in restoring public confidence in its processes, but the road ahead remains long.
Transparency in handling such issues is vital, and UBOS' next steps will be closely watched. The institution has already promised to correct the data and ensure no such errors mar the 2024 census results.
UBOS officials were quick to stress that the errors in the 2014 census were isolated incidents, unrelated to the methodologies used in 2024.
They assured the public that stringent quality checks had been conducted to ensure the accuracy of the new data. However, the lingering question remains: how can UBOS guarantee that past errors do not haunt future censuses?
This episode offers a lesson in accountability. For UBOS, it presents an opportunity to strengthen its data analysis processes and engage in more rigorous auditing of census results before they are released to the public.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
Trust in the bureau is crucial because national planning, policymaking, and even private sector investments rely on the accuracy of the information UBOS provides.
The transparency demonstrated in admitting the mistake is a positive step.
However, UBOS must go further to assure Ugandans that future censuses will meet the highest standards of accuracy and reliability.
The bureau should consider adopting new technologies in data collection and verification, as well as improving its internal review mechanisms to avoid similar errors.
UBOS' admission of an error in the 2014 census report is a reminder of the critical role accurate data plays in shaping Uganda's future.
The bureau's commitment to correcting this mistake and ensuring the validity of the 2024 results is commendable, but it must also serve as a catalyst for broader reforms in how the country collects, analyzes, and disseminates demographic information.
