Census officers enumerate. PHOTO | FILE
Census officers enumerate. PHOTO | FILE

Were you enumerated? If not no worries. The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics has issued an alarm over data inconsistency saying some data was cooked. 


The Statistics board said the data during listing was not consistent with the actual enumerated data.


According to the KNBS CEO Mr. Zachary Mwangi Chege,  some government officials participated in illegal increasing household numbers and members. 

" Politicians are eager to compare the data from different regions, that data is critical for revenue allocation, political matters, and boundary demarcation. We understand how sensitive it is, " said KNBS CEO.

The just-concluded population census is generating political excitement given that the figures will affect resource allocation, boundaries review and ethnic alliances ahead of the 2022 general election. 


Wajir County, chiefs Musa Abdi (Khumbi location), Mr. Khalif Sirat Farah (Habaswein Central) and his assistant Harriet Maow were arrested for allegedly boosting household sizes in their locations aiming at increasing the population figure illegally.


Wajir County Commissioner Loyford Kibaara, while substantiating the detentions, said that more chiefs would be apprehended.

 “We noticed that the number of households in their respective areas has increased tremendously compared to what was captured during mapping and pre-listing, which raises suspicions, and this is happening in many other locations,” he said. 


 “How do you explain a situation where a household has doubled or tripled just a week after doing the pre-listing?” posed Mr. Kibaara. 
 

" These chiefs benefit from politicians when it comes to contracts either from county governments, NG-CDF or even from MCAs’ offices and they have to serve their masters so that they continue winning contracts,”  he added.


"There were some reports that investigation was going on in areas within Banisa and Mandera West and nothing was proved but we have continued to closely observe the process,” said Mandera County Commissioner Onesmus Katha.


The exercise did not reflect on the actual figures. The KNBS CEO Mr. Zachary Mwangi said there will need to synchronize Huduma Namba data, data from registration department and immigration to determine the actual figure.


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