By Leilah Bbaale
Uganda’s population is now 45.9 million people, up from 34.6mln counted in 2014. This, according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics [ UBOS ], means that the human population in the country increased by 11.3mln people in the last 10 years. The figure includes 780, 061 refugees who were found and counted in the country on census night.
According to UBOS Executive Director, Chris Mukiza, the new figures are drawn from the preliminary finding of the National Population and Housing Census 2024, which was the 11th census in Uganda, 6th post-independence, and the 1st digital census that was carried out from May 10- 26, 2024.
Mukiza told guests that UBOS deployed 135,230 field workers, 14,669 enumeration supervisors, and 4715 subcounty/ division supervisors to come up with the preliminary population and housing figures. The findings were launched by President Yoweri Museveni at Kampala Serena Hotel on Thursday.
According to the latest findings, 51 percent of the total population are female [23,935,046]. 50.5 percent are children between 0 – 17 years of age while 22.7 percent of the population are youth [18- 30 years].
“We visited 11 million households. Our data is very accurate and robust. We hope the United Nations won’t make noise again [that they have more accurate data than ours],” said Mukiza. Despite Mukiza’s assertion, some Ugandans say they were never counted.
“At birth demographically, there are more males born than baby girls. It is estimated that there are 105 males born, but in life more males die due to biological social and environmental issues,” said Mukiza.
On the other hand, the average household size in Uganda is 4.4 persons down from 4.7 in the previous census with a growth rate of 2.9 percent.
However Mukiza said enumerators encountered some challenges, among them people who didnt want to be countered. “In Mayuge we met a cult called “Njiri Nkaalu” who said they have already been counted by God. Police cracked down some and others deliberately refused to be counted,” he said, adding that the The Census cost per capita was US$ 1.9 [about Shs 7030] compared to US$ 2 in Kenya.
He encouraged government and other stakeholders to use the new data to serve Ugandans, saying that Ugandans were asking UBOs officials about the use of the data that was being collected. “During census, Ugandans kept telling us that you are counting us but what do we get? How shall we benefit? They kept asking us to go and tell our government to use the data to improve the livelihood of Ugandans,” said Mukiza.
However, President Museveni who presided over the presentation of the preliminary findings of the census report said he was surprised by the new population figures. “They were asking very many questions.
