A realization that the number of persons living with disabilities (PwDs) in the country reduced by 3.4 million has bolstered growing voices calling on Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) Executive Director Dr Chris Mukiza to resign his job.
According to Alex Ndeezi, an MP representing Persons With Disabilities (PwDs) in parliament, the figures showing that the population of people living with disabilities in Uganda reduced from 6.4 million people as shown in the 2014 census report to three million people with disabilities in 2024 is questionable.
The figures for PwDs in Uganda indicate that in just 10 years – from 2014 to 2024 – the number of PwDs reduced by a whole 3.4 million people, raising questions on what could have happened to them.
From the released results as of October 3, 2024 indicate that disability prevalence has drastically reduced from 12.4% as of 2014 to 5.7% in 2024, noted National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda, an umbrella organisation of Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), advocating for the rights of PWDs in Uganda.
NUDIPU worries that with the figures showing that their numbers reduced, government may budget less resources to support the PwDs.
“In a unison voice organizations of persons with disabilities clearly dispute the recently released statistical results by the statistics body UBOS and therefore request for a recount,” NUDIPU said in a statement.
“If we go by the recent results it shows persons with disabilities will be under budgeted for yet there are many who need services and to benefit from different government programmes.”
With this revelation, MPs called for the resignation of UBOS ED Mukiza. Maracha County MP Denis Lee Oguzu said the 2024 census report was suspicious and that the Uganda Bureau of Statistics should be investigated by Parliament of Uganda.
“The issue of census is an important one. Census data is what Government uses for planning and if you look at how wrong things are run in this country, it is because the decisions we make are based on opinion not data. I would request that the sectoral Committee examines this issue further,” submitted Oguzu.
Finance minister Matia Kasaija requested MPs to cease fire and wait for government to release a statement next week so that it can clarify the figures published by UBOS.
“We are preparing a statement, next week, we will be here with that statement, so that we give you full facts. I beg your indulgence, next week, we shall come here with a statement to tell you, what happened,” said Kasaija.
It is not only the figures of PwDs that left Ugandans confused: the initial numbers for people per tribe left Ugandans questioning as they indicated that the population of the Acholi and Bagisu had reduced in the past 10 years.
But UBOS came out to apologize and correct the figure – however, UBOS ED Mukiza, who led the bureau in spending over Shs 300 billion on the census, said he was one of the best statisticians in the country and that he would not resign over the figures some Ugandans now think could have been cooked. (See Details Here and There).
The Pearl Times has also reported that the IGG has made it clear that Mukiza and his UBOS officials would be investigated with the view of examining the processes used in arriving at the figures, and how the billions were spent. The IGG has previously forced UBOS officials to cough money they had stolen. (Read Story Here).
You can see Uganda’s biggest tribes, most popular religions as Balokole increase, cities with most people and most educated sub regions Here, There, Over Here and Over There.
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