Census: Pallisa islands in UBOS plan

By Lawrence Okwakol

Pallisa district leaders are disappointed, as there are over 80 households of people living on the islands of Mutiama. Katsmbana and Luzira under Obutet sub county in Pallisa district, which are in Lake Kyoga, will not be captured in the forthcoming national census.

In a heated district census committee meeting chaired by Fredrick Byenkwaso, members discussed the oversight the oversight at length.

Byenkwaso said the Uganda Bureau of Statistics has no excuse to give in line with the raised concerns because it was formally communicated to them that Pallisa district is among those with hard-to-reach areas.

“I have labored in vain to get the contacts of Chris Mukisa, the executive director of UBOS, to explain to him the Pallisa status and get first-hand feedback from him. This exercise is very important, and I need a response before the census night,” Byenkwaso said.

Patrick Duchu, the LC5 of Pallisa, said the islands in question are part of Pallisa and are situated 16km from the mainland at the Opeta landing site. They are also 6km to 8km apart from each other, which means they need UBOS to get motorboats and life jackets for the team going there.

Duchu said he will not accept even a single individual in these islands to miss enumeration because UBOS has been planning for this exercise for the last nine years.

“This exercise will make the government plan for those islands, as they don’t have any social services centers; not even a church is there,”  Duchu said.

Derrick Orone, the Gogonyo County Member of Parliament, said in this national census, such places should even be a priority.

Orone said even refugees who are in Uganda enjoy basic services as compared to people living in these islands. He said those interested in the education of their children row boats daily, and children reach Opeta primary school at 10 a.m. after three lessons have been covered. Some parents rent for their children’s huts, but their girls children have ended up defiled.

“Honestly, very few older people from these islands benefit from the social action grant for empowerment (SAGE) because they couldn’t access the mainland given their vulnerability. The issue of having them enumerated is key, and there is no need to discuss it as the UBOS slogan states, ‘It matters to be counted’.’To me, UBOS will have to hire a motorboat and life jackets, and then the team goes there,” Orone said.

In his submission, Robert Mukesi, the district census officer, said 700 enumerators have been trained to capture data from 664 enumeration areas gazetted from 498 villages.

Mukesi said the necessities needed to reach the islands are life jackets and hiring the engine boat, but their district budget, which they submitted for approval, has nothing to do with the islands, but the commutation was done.

Magidu Dhikusoka, the Pallisa resident district commissioner, said UBOS has to ensure everyone is counted, including the Kinyiriri religious sect, which opposes government programs.

“I have talked to their leaders, and I shall personally be in Kamuge, where the majority of them are situated. I want to urge stakeholders not to front issues of allowance in this exercise but to show  patriotism,” Dhikusoka said.

Emmanuel Kirya, the Pallisa Chief Internal Auditor, said national census mobilization needed well-packaged information because most people have misconceived the well-laid intention of the exercise as a government hidden agenda to access for taxation.

While responding, Priscilla Akello, the district communication officer, said a number of talkshows are going to be conducted, campaign drives are going to be conducted all over the district, and flyers are going to be used.

“Religious, cultural, and local leaders should also help in mobilizing our people; this is an important exercise,”  Akello said.

Julius Mpagi, the UBOS commissioner based in Pallisa, said most of the challenges raised will be sorted out.

“I am yet to get feedback from head office over the issue of the islands, Mapgi said.

He emphasized that people should give correct information to the enumerators without hesitation, as it will be kept confidential.