National census ends successfully

The National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR) says this year’s national census ended successfully with 95 percent of the population covered.Prosper Mutijima, the census coordinator at NISR, said the number that was not numerated was very negligible which cannot have any effect on the final tally. The two-week exercise cost an estimated Rwf16.5bnWe did our best to meet the deadline, now we are done and we are doing the final tally,” he said, adding that they had enlisted the assistance of local leaders in cases of individuals who were not at home during the exercise. “For Rwandans in the Diaspora and those working outside we sent questionnaires, we are working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to this effect,” said the official. Mutijima said they have not faced many challenges during the exercise. “There were some cases where some people denied us information under the pretext of their religious beliefs, but these cases were very minimal,” he said. During the exercise, several reports of assaults on the enumerators were reported in Gisagara District in Southern Province and Kimironko in Gasabo District, a city suburb. Other incidents of intimidation were reported in Muhanga, Ruhango, Huye and Kamonyi districts.The United Nations advises that a national census be carried out at least every ten years; Rwanda’s first general housing and population census was conducted in 1970, and this will be the fourth time it is carried out, the latest having taken place in 2002 and put the population at 8,128,553. But recent estimates indicated the population had surpassed 11 million.