Census report shelved to ‘cover all areas’
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga ordered the shelving of the preliminary census report due to incomplete coverage of all districts.
It was to be released on Thursday.
Planning minister Wycliffe Oparanya on Friday said a meeting with the President, PM, Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, deputy PMs Uhuru Kenyatta and Musalia Mudavadi, and Internal Security minister George Saitoti on Wednesday resolved that all the 256 districts be included in the report.
He said the figures would remain constant as indicated in the 158 census districts but for administrative purposes they will be spread to all districts created after December 31, 2008.
“The high-powered meeting felt the legality of other districts not covered in the report would be questionable and now we must go back to work to include all administrative areas in the new districts. This thing has nothing to do with figures,” Mr Oparanya told the Nation.
Adjustments
He said they only used 158 districts created by December 31, 2008, which still covered the rest of the administrative units hived off.
Mr Oparanya said additional funds will be required from the Treasury to conduct the countrywide matrix using the Provincial Administration.
“We must determine the boundaries and which units went where but a location that was in Butere District and later moved to Kwhisero District is reflected in our records,” the minister said.
Mr Oparanya, who was reacting to news reports that figures were manipulated to show population of certain communities had risen astronomically, said Kenyans should be patient for the next three months when the adjustments will be completed.
“The principals gave us three months to go back to work and hopefully more funds will be made available to enable us put everybody where they currently belong,” he said.
The Central Bureau of Statistics was asked to release a comprehensive report covering all constituencies and wards, he added.
