Why NEP is restless over census data

The Kenya Population and Housing Census Report of 2019 was released on Monday, November 4 and straightaway, it sparked controversy. The report, for instance, asserted that the population in Mandera County had dropped in 10 years, from 1,025,756 in 2009, to 867,457 in 2019.

The results from Wajir County were puzzling too, with only a marginal increase of 18 per cent from 661,941 in 2009 to 781,263 in 2019. Wajir North registered a -17 per cent or -23,413 reduction in population. Wajir East registered a -1.7 per cent or -1,918 reduction while Tarbaj registered a -49 per cent or -54,614 reduction in population.