Bars and other entertainment joints across the country will be closed by 5.00pm on Saturday to ensure that all citizens in the republic were at home by 6.00 pm to facilitate the success of the National Population and Housing Census.
Interior and Coordiantion of National Government Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i, said all Kenyans will be expected at their dwellings for the exercise to give the correct information when census officials undertake their count.
Addressing concerns that criminals may present themselves as census officials to gain access to people’s homes, the CS said all security officers have been recalled from leave to ensure the census is incident free and citizens need not fear opening for the officials.
Besides, he said, the enumerators have been recruited from their sublocations and will be accompanied by the village elders and therefore the census party will most likely have someone known to the householders.
The CS spoke at the Embu Stadium when he represented President Uhuru Kenyatta during officially opening the 10th Water Companies Sports Organisation (WASCO) games.
Dr. Matiang’i, who was accompanied by his Water counterpart Simon Chelugui, clarified that the Census was different from Huduma number as the latter was meant to register people for one identification document while the Census was for collecting vital statistics needed for planning.purposes.
He advised those who have applied to be accredited as observers during the census to apply to the County Commissioner of the county where they want to monitor so that they can be issued with identification cards that will enabled them to access the process.
By Steve Gatheru
