Solomon Yator (centre), a Census Enumerator accompanied by another
enumerator, Lydia Chepkorir talks to one of the residents of Kapsoya
Estate in Eldoret Town, Uasin Gishu County during the Pre-Enumeration
Listing on August 22, 2019, ahead of the 2019 Kenya Population and
Housing Census slated for August 24/25. PHOTO /JARED NYATAYA
Summary
- The census data system was locally assembled to give the State control over the gathering and transmission of the information.
- Globally, census data has often been at risk of getting leaked or manipulated.
- Use of local telecommunication companies’ networks and technology supplied by foreign firms was part of the sticking points in the disputed 2017 presidential poll.
Transmission of the upcoming Population and Housing Census data
will be done through a special, secure network to ward off the risk of
un-authorised access to people’s private information.
ICT
Secretary Joe Mucheru on Thursday said the census data system was
locally assembled to give the State control over the gathering and
transmission of the information.
“Only the authorised
people have access to that data. We are not relying on a foreign entity
for the security of the data. The devices were assembled here and we
created our software here,” said Mr Mucheru in an interview on the
census that kicks off tomorrow night. The Jomo Kenyatta University of
Agriculture and Technology and Moi University supplied the over 160,000
tablets and the software to conduct the census at a cost of Sh3 billion.
The
census data is critical for informing economic policy, healthcare and
representation. Globally, census data has often been at risk of getting
leaked or manipulated. Use of local telecommunication companies’
networks and technology supplied by foreign firms was part of the
sticking points in the disputed 2017 presidential poll.
“We
established a special network for the transmission of the information,
and this is linked to a system with a storage capacity of 40 terabytes
and full server redundancy,” said Mr Mucheru in a joint statement with
Interior Secretary Fred Matiang’i and acting Treasury Secretary Ukur
Yatani when they gave a public update on the census.
The population data gathered from the census is shared among key
government ministries and departments to guide in resource allocation
and wealth distribution.
The census report, according
to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), provides information
that is essential for “evidence-based development planning, making
administrative and policy decisions, and research.”
Failure
to answer the census enumerators’ questions or giving them false
information will attract a Sh500,000 fine or six months imprisonment.
Those who play hide and seek with the census officials and those who
boycott the count will also be risking a Sh500,000 fine or one-year jail
term.
The results will also be used by the Independent
Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in the planned boundary
demarcation ahead of the 2022 General Election.
“As a measure of extra security, we had the hardware and
software for the exercise developed and assembled locally, which means
we have full control of the data captured,” said the CSs.
Counting of people will start from the night of August 24, continuing up to August 31, when it is scheduled to end.
“We
have successfully completed the recruitment, training and deployment of
the census personnel, who include 2,467 ICT supervisors, 22,268 content
supervisors and 138,572 enumerators, 9,000 of whom will cover special
populations, including street families, prisons, police cells,
travellers, and hospitals,” they said.
“All the
necessary material and equipment have been delivered to county
headquarters for onward distribution to the census personnel.”
A communication centre will be provided for regular updates.
The
government also says it has recalled all security officers who were on
leave and dispatched them to accompany the census personnel.
“They
will be joined by village or community elders and leaders of residents’
associations, depending on the area,” it said. “For ease of
identification, they will be wearing branded attire and will have
identification documents.”
All social and entertainment
joints will be closed by 5pm on 24th and 25th to allow household
members settle early in preparation for the census.
Out of the 18.5 billion allocated for the census, workers will be paid Sh10 billion.
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