Africa-Press – Tanzania. FOR the first time since independence, Tanzania will conduct its sixth Population and Housing Census in August next year by using tablets at all stages, with the aim of reducing costs as well as expediting the exercise, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said.
This was revealed at NBS headquarters in Dodoma yesterday by Chief Statisticians from both sides of the Union, as Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa and Zanzibar Second Vice-President Hemed Suleiman Abdallah, commending the move to have e-census in efforts to plan for the country’s development.
That was said during the official launching of the 2022 Population and Housing Census Management and Implementation Strategic Handbook that was graced by Mr Majaliwa, who also doubles as the chairperson for the National Census Committee.
Speaking prior to launching the book, Mr Majaliwa said the next Census was crucial as it will assist the government in obtaining basic information that will support the process of implementing the Development Vision 2025, Health and Social Reforms, as well as monitoring other economic agendas.
Mr Majaliwa used the occasion to announce Sunday of August 28, 2022 as the official date of the census.
The Population and Housing Census will be conducted 10 years since the last one that was conducted in 2012.
He said preparations were progressing well, adding that the government would ensure that all the equipment required including tablets and motor vehicles are easily made available.
The Ministry of Finance and Planning through NBS in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Statistician of Zanzibar (OCGS), is in the process of preparing to conduct the census.
The 2022 Population and Housing Census will be the sixth census to be held in the country after the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964.
The past ones took place in 1967, 1978, 1988, 2002 and 2012.
According to NBS Chief Statisticians, Dr Albina Chuwa the pilot census is expected to be conducted in August this year as a means to see if NBS officials were able to familiarize with the technology ahead of the planned national census next year.
“Preparation of the census is conducted in accordance to the Statistics Act chapter 351,” said Dr Chuwa.
She said according to NBS projections, by the time of conducting the census projections; Tanzania will have a population of 64 million people.
During the 2012 census Tanzania had 44.9 million people.
Her OCGS counterpart, Mayasa Mwinyi said the next census will be one of its kind as both NBS and OCGS were planning to use a robust technology to collect data, adding that all staff had been properly trained on how to carry out the exercise.
Speaking prior to welcoming the Prime Minister, Zanzibar’s Second Vice President said he believed the census would be carried out professionally, because they have better trained team waiting for it.
Mr Abdallah who doubles as the co-chairman National Census Committee co-chairperson said the exercise would be carried out by the government of Tanzania in collaboration with Development partners.
