NAIROBI, AUGUST 23 ,2019 (CISA)- The Cabinet Secretary for interior Dr Fred Matiang’i has encouraged Kenyans to stay indoors on the nights of August 24-25, the first two days of the national population census to enable enumerators work smoothly.
“Be available in your house to be counted on Saturday night. That is why we are going to close all our social places, especially the bars at 5:00 o’clock so that we give you an hour to be home before the enumerators arrive at six, so that they can find you at home and count you,” he said.
Speaking in Embu on August 21, Dr Matiang’i ordered that all bars be closed starting Saturday August 24 -25, the first two days that are deemed crucial for the exercise that is expected to close on August 31.
The National population census is normally held every 10 years by the Kenya Bureau of Statistics which acts as the principal agency of the government for collecting, analysing and disseminating statistical data in Kenya, for the purpose of sustainable development and devolution of government services.
Dr Matiang’i cautioned Kenyans against entertaining un authorized people who may pretend to be involved in carrying out the exercise and assured Kenyans of beefed up security during the exercise.
“There are only three types of people that we will have out on Saturday and Sunday evening and for the rest of the seven days. They will either be census officials, employed through the Kenya Bureau of Statistics, either enumerators, content supervisors, or security personnel; police officers, assistant chiefs, county commissioners, or monitors who must carry identification documents given by the county commissioner as official monitors or observers of the exercise .Any other person is therefore not supposed to be involved in that exercise,” he said.
“…for us in the security sector, our responsibility is to facilitate this exercise, and we are absolutely ready to facilitate this exercise,” he added.
The last census held in 2009 showed the population of Kenya to be 38.6 million people.
