August census to be paperless as two local universities begin assembly of data-capture kits

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics will for the first time conduct an electronic countrywide census next month.

This year’s census will cost KSh18.5 billion.

According to Director General Zachary Mwangi, all is set for the paperless exercise that will be undertaken from August 24 to 25.

While giving an update on the forthcoming national census on Monday, he stated that the computer program to be used has already been designed, developed and tested.

“We’re very confident about our data-capture program,” the KNBS DG stated during the briefing at the Kenyatta International Convention Center in Nairobi.

Moi University and the Jomo Kenya University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) will assemble 164,700 data-capture devices at the cost of Sh15,000 each.

Mwangi revealed that the census will also capture agricultural activities, a component that was not captured in the 2009 census.

“In the previous census we did not collect information on agriculture but this year we have a whole module on agriculture,” he said.