THE 2022 national population and housing census, which kicked off yesterday, will gather crucial statistics that will guide policy formulation for various socio-economic interventions by the government, an official has said.
Zimstat director general Taguma Mahonde said this after enumerating the First Family at State House on the first day of the census.
The census, running from April 21 to 30, is unique as it will, for the first time, capture data on the population’s living conditions, and access to basic needs such as water and electricity.
It will also canvass other crucial statistics such as emigration, level of education, and literacy with preliminary results expected to be released within three months
Mahonde said: “For example, you need to know the age categories in the country so that you plan accordingly for various social service delivery like provision of education, health, and so on. So it is very important that policy be informed by statistics.”
He encouraged the public to cooperate with enumerators, and re-assured Zimbabweans that all information collected would remain confidential and would be used for statistical purposes only.
“We are delighted that His Excellency (President Emmerson Mnangagwa) gave us this opportunity to do this enumeration, this shows that when the First Family has time for such an exercise it means this exercise is important and accordingly I call upon all Zimbabweans to cooperate with our enumerators,” he said.
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency has recruited a total of 40 500 enumerators from across the country’s 10 provinces to conduct the 2022 population and housing census.
The bulk of the personnel is drawn from the teaching fraternity, youth and other civil servants from the security sector.
Zimbabwe conducts a population census every 10 years and the 2022 survey will be the fifth since the country’s independence from Britain in 1980.
— New Ziana