Census is a waste of public funds; simple maths can do the trick

A census enumerator with the Mombasa County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo at the start of the counting exercise on August 25. [Gideon Maundu, Standard]

The definition of ‘ghost town’ came to life Saturday evening when the population census exercise kicked off. For an area bustling with activity, the quiet and deserted street along which I reside were surreal. But that is government at work for you. On the pain of incarceration or a hefty fine, Kenyans were warned to remain indoors to be counted.

A population census enables the government to plan effectively for its people, or so we are told. Barely hours into the exercise, there were complaints that enumerators were asking people for their identification cards and passport numbers in complete breach of population census requirements. Amnesty International joined the chorus of condemnation of the Government, even as the Government’s spokesperson sought to perfunctorily allay growing fears.