2020 national census to employ 39, 000 Zambians

MORE than 39, 000 Zambians will be employed during the data collection for the 2020 census which will take place in August 2020, National Development Planning Minister Alexander Chiteme has said.

Mr Chiteme said the 2020 census would involve about 31, 000 enumerators and 8, 000 supervisors among other census staff at different levels. The Minister said this in Parliament yesterday when he delivered a Ministerial Statement on the 2020 Census of Population and Housing Preparations. He said the enumerators would use tablets pre- installed with the data capturing application with a set of validation rules implemented to reduce time of processing and increase the reliability of the collected data. Mr Chiteme said the 2020 Census would be the first of its kind in Zambia to be conducted using electronic data methodology – Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI). “This will improve the quality of data collected and reduce the time-lag between data collection and dissemination of results. Over 39, 000 Zambians will be employed to carry out this duty,” Mr Chiteme said. He urged citizens and all stakeholders to support Government in conducting the exercise. He said there was need for detailed information at national, regional and district levels for Government to make evidence-based decision with regards to development. “The only way to secure that level of detail is through conducting an accurate Census of Population and Housing that fairly represents every Zambian. “My Ministry counts on the support of all citizens and residents of Zambia for successful Statistical Area Delineations, User-Consultations, Pre-testing and National piloting exercises towards the August 2020 Census of Population and Housing,” he said.