KNBS contracts JKUAT and Moi to supply Sh470.5mn tablets for census

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) has contracted two local universities to supply it with 164,700 digital tablets required to conduct this year’s national population census.

KNBS director-general Zachary Mwangi said Monday that Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Moi University will supply the agency with 164,700 tablets to conduct the exercise.

The tablets, set to cost the agency Sh470.5 million will be installed with a tracking software, questionnaires and area maps.

Remote, off-grid areas will be supplied with solar chargers.

“We contracted Moi University and JKUT directly so that they can assemble the devices in the two universities. We are looking at 164,700 devices and each gadgets goes at around Sh15, 000,” said Mr Mwangi Monday.

He noted that Moi University will produce 40 per cent of the gadgets while JKUAT will assemble the remaining 60 per cent.

The bureau, he said will employ 135,000 enumerators, 27, 000 content supervisors and 2,700 ICT supervisors.

“They are expected to start work starting July 15 to August 25 when the exercise will come to an end,” said Mr Mwangi

Kenya conducts its household census every 10 years, the last exercise being in 2009, which cost Sh8.4 billion, out of which Sh5 billion went to pay census personnel.

The population data is often shared among key government ministries and departments to guide in resource allocation and wealth distribution.

Preliminary results for 2019 census, is expected to be ready in November, while the final results for the exercise will be ready by February 2020.