By Albert Onzoma

Arua City

Complains have emerged over the recruitment process of Census Enumerators and Supervisors in Arua City with allegations of irregularities from applicants with just days left for national population and housing census 2024 by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) that will start on 9^th May.

The applicants who were not considered in the recruitment process cite irregularities like delayed release of interview results, poor communication and nepotism, among other issues.

An applicant who prefers anonymity said that the process delayed to release results of the interview which was one of the indicators for irregularities, stating that the process was not free and fair.

According to the list published on Arua City Council website, 775 candidates were successful for position of Census Enumerators while 96 candidates were successful for position of Census Supervisors. These all started training on Tuesday, 30^th April 2024, following invitation from the council.

The interviews were conducted in 2 phases, targeting more than 1 thousand people but the final list has fewer people as communicated earlier with many applicants missing on final list, including those who received confirmation to attend training.

Another applicant who also prefers anonymity shares her experience, saying that they followed all the recruitment requirements and procedures but was still missing as those who did not attend interviews were notified. “We were taken through the whole process after applying, we were shortlisted and called for the interviews and we did the interviews which was conducted in the space of four days and the day I did my interviews I remembered vividly very well the interviewer saying to us that Arua City had less number of who applied for the position of enumerators so they needed more people to apply and were told by the same interviewer that for those who applied in the first shift as long as you have all the requirements especially the senior six results and LC 1 letter and other documents like the national identity card and all that” she said.  
   
Efforts made to get response from Arua City Council regarding these allegations were futile as the persons authorized to speak could not give interview by press time.

COVER PHOTO: An applicant checks his name on the city notice board By Albert Onzoma