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It’s one year in jail or Sh100k fine if you boycott upcoming census

By Amina Wako August 16th, 2019 2 min read

Kenyans who boycott the upcoming census risk a one-year jail term or a fine of Sh100,000 or both.

The government is set to conduct Kenya’s sixth national census on the night of August 24, 2019.

But according to Statistics Act of 2006, any person who willfully fails to give any information or particulars as required under the Act commits an offence.

They are liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding Sh100,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or to both.

This year’s census is the first since the promulgation of the 2010 constitution and the first one to be carried out using digital gadgets, a paperless process that seeks to ensure accuracy, speed of processing and security of the data.

The census will focus on eight key areas including population characteristics, disability, education, labour force, ICT, livestock, agriculture, housing conditions and amenities as well as household assets.

CENSUS NIGHT

All persons who will be within the borders of Kenya on the census night (August 24/25) will be counted.

This includes people persons found in the households, those on transit, individuals in hotels and lodges, and institutions such as hospitals and prisons, among others

Counting of people will start on the night of August 24, and continue up to the August 31, 2019 when counting is scheduled to end.

People will be counted with reference to where they spent the night of August 24/25, 2019, which is called Census Reference Night.

If one misses out on the counting on the reference night, you will still be counted but with reference on where one was on the night of August 24/25.

In case by August 31 one is not counted, a toll-free number will be provided for you to contact KNBS to send an enumerator to enumerate your household.

The initial report is expected after three months while the detailed analytical reports will be released within one year after the census.