2022 Census Preparations Gather Momentum
Zimbabwe has commenced preparations for its fifth national population census to be held in August 2022. The first one was held in 1982, two years after independence.
Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) director-general Taguma Mahonde revealed that the focus currently is on a pre-enumeration mapping exercise.
This involves the subdivision of the country into small geographic units called Enumeration Areas which contain the prescribed population size of 80 to 120 households. Said Mahode:
The 2022 Zimbabwe Population Census will be carried out in August 2022 in accordance with the Census and Statistics Act [Chapter: 10:29)] 1/2007 Section 12 Sub-section (i) which stipulates that a national census shall be carried out every 10 years.
It needs to be stressed that the census is a national project that requires the support of everyone. Although ZimStat is the main implementing agency, the support of all government ministries, private sector, civil society organizations and research and training institutions is vital for conducting a successful census.
Mahode added that Zimbabwe will use mobile devices for mapping and data collection during census enumeration in line with global trends.
Zimbabwe holds censuses every 10 years with the last one held in 2012. The country had slightly over 13 million people then.
