The Government has announced the recruitment of 38,500 enumeration staff for the forthcoming national housing and population census.
Zambia statistics Agency (ZamStats) Interim Statistician General Mulenga Musepa said this represented a 51percent increase from 25,530 enumerators engaged in the 2010 census.
Mr. Musepa said the census which would run from August 18 to September 14, 2022, would also require 6,430 supervisors and 1,800 zonal coordinators to effectively implement.
He was speaking when Finance and National Planning Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane and Chief Government spokesperson Chushi Kasanda flagged off the distribution of census material in Lusaka yesterday.
Mr. Musepa said the unit had so far mobilised 45,000 digital tablets, 35,000 power packs, 17,610 bicycles and 500 motorbikes for use during the exercise.
Meanwhile, Dr. Musokotwane urged the unit to employ local people from within the locations where the census would be conducted.
Dr. Musokotwane said the census was a normal and regular undertaking which should not create any myths around its implementation.
“This exercise is important because it will help us plan for development. The data drawn will help us know how many schools or water points are required in a particular area and so on and so there should be nothing sinister about this exercise being conducted,” he said.
Ms. Kasanda, who is also information and Media Minister, urged the media to widely cover the census to cure any public speculation that the exercise could be attached to a non-existent spying act by the Government.
She urged citizens to freely give the enumerators information as this would help the Government create a solid baseline for improving livelihoods.
