UBOS is undertaking the census mapping of all places in the country which includes the documentation of all areas from the smallest unit and marking of all land borders from villages to district levels.
David Ochieng the UBOS team leader in Northern regional office (L) and Sharon Apiyo, the Senior Statistician of UBOS at the Gulu Regional Office. Photo by Emmy Daniel Ojara
Misconceptions
and land conflicts in the northern region have been identified as key hindrances
to the ongoing census mapping exercise by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics
(UBOS).
UBOS is undertaking the census mapping of all places in the country which
includes the documentation of all areas from the smallest unit and marking of
all land borders from villages to district levels. The northern
region includes Lango, Acholi, and the West Nile sub-regions.
The census mapping which commenced in August 2021 and is expected to stop at
the end of the year has since been undertaken in some parts of the West Nile
and Lango sub-regions and is set to kick off in Acholi which composes the
northern region.
It involves the use of the Geographical Positioning Satellite (GPS) to take
coordinates, it is among the key preparatory activities undertaken prior to the
actual counting of people. Other pre-activities include the Uganda Demographic
and Health Survey (UDHS) and Uganda Business Inquiry (UBI).
The team undertaking the exercise in the region has raised concerns citing its
ineffectiveness due to rigidity from members of the community, unwillingness to
participate, and concealing of information that arises from misconceptions, and
land conflicts in the areas.
David Ochieng the UBOS team leader in the Northern regional office told URN on
Thursday that they have had experiences of resistance from the local community,
providing false information, and concealment of information due to
misconceptions about the exercise.
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He explained that people are reluctant to provide accurate information thinking
that it will be used against them to grab their land or subject them to
taxation by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Some areas that were identified with challenges include the Apaa Township
bordering Amuru and Adjumani districts whose ownership is contested by the
Acholi and Madi tribes as well as Mede and Oroko parishes in Palaro Sub County
which are contested by Gulu and Amuru districts.
Ochieng who expressed concerns noted that the lack of rightful information and
denial of truth being provided will affect the formulation of government
policies set to help the population.
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Sharon
Apiyo, the Senior Statistician of UBOS at the Gulu Regional Office said that
the information being collected is purely meant for the formulation of
government policies adding that it is handled with maximum confidentiality.
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The team has now embarked on a massive awareness creation campaign through
local leaders and different stakeholders seeking a mindset change and
embracement of the initiative.
On Thursday the Gulu Regional UBOS team engaged the local leadership in the
area at Palema Crown Hotel in Gulu City seeking to rally the local community to
cooperate with the surveyors.
Ballington Pa Onwgech, the Finance Secretary for the Gulu District asked local
leaders to provide rightful information to the public for the success of the
exercise noting that the local people believe in what they see.
Ballington also wants the ministry of Local Government to expeditious the
resolutions of the numerous border conflicts in order to allay the fears of the
community.
However, a resident of Apaa Township who only identified himself as Michael
says they no longer have trust in the government hence the adamancy in
providing rightful information.
The census night has been scheduled for the 24th and 25th of August 2023 and
everyone is expected to provide their details from wherever they will be.
Emmy Daniel Ojara
Freelancer