Census coordinator lauds Security agencies

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics coordinator in charge of Kiambu County has lauded security agents for supporting the census teams since the beginning of the enumeration exercise on Saturday.
Mr. Willy Konde during his press briefing last evening outside the County Commissioner’s office said the teams were doing a good job owing to the protection they had received from the security personnel.
“We have about 9, 000 personnel on the ground who have been engaged in the job and we expect to deliver,”
Mr. Konde revealed that the Census team started the exercise with special unit categories which involved patrons in hotels and hospitals and institutions like rehabilitation homes in the county.
The coordinator however, singled out gated communities where he said the census team met some resistance as the security guards did not allow the enumerators at night.
They however, returned in the morning the following day and managed to do their work.
On the part of the equipment for the exercise, he said, those charged with taking care had also done a good job and that there had not been any case of theft.
Konde assured the residents that the team was progressing well and that those that had not been enumerated would be reached within the week before the deadline on August 31.
The coordinator also commended the people of Kiambu for being inquisitive on the information regarding the exercise from the census team.
“It is good when the citizens also ask our staff some questions when they visit their homes,” he said.
He said their urge to probe the staff on in-depth information was an indication that the people were knowledgeable and concerned with what was going on around them which was healthy.
In an effort to hasten the exercise, the Government Sunday directed regional and county commissioners to ensure that the enumeration exercise continues from 6p.m to 6a.m non-stop.
Kiambu County commissioner Mr. Wilson Wanyanga directed the National Government Administrative Offices to capture and report the number of households enumerated between the first two nights of August 24 and 25 onwards.
“The cumulative data should compare with earlier listed number of households in the sub-locations,” he said.
Additionally, he noted, the number of enumerators who conducted the exercise daily should be availed through a specific template which had been circulated in all the counties.
The information is expected to have been submitted by 8a.m
By Lydia Shiloya