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as suppliers have run out of the material for the attire, an official said yesterday.
The country’s fourth population census, which is being conducted by about 30 000 enumerators, the bulk of them teachers, began at midnight on Friday and is expected to end on 27 August. Collation of data will start thereafter and preliminary results are expected in December.
In a telephone interview yesterday, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) director of population census and survey, Mr Washington Mapeta, said suppliers of the enumerators’ attire have blamed the shortage of clothing material on the local market.
“We have experienced some logistical problems emanating from suppliers of our T-shirts and bibs. Ten thousand enumerators are conducting the census without full regalia. From that figure some of the enumerators only have T-shirts without bibs while others also have bibs without the T-shirts.
“The suppliers have cited shortage of the clothing material on the local market. The material is being sourced from outside the country,” said Mr Mapeta, who could not be drawn into revealing names of their suppliers.
He could also not ascertain when they would get additional regalia but said that the exercise would run as scheduled. Mr Mapeta said despite the few challenges enumerators were facing, the population count was progressing well.
“We have cited one or two cases where enumerators without full identification regalia have not been welcomed by the public. However, generally the exercise is progressing smoothly,” he said.
The population count started at midnight to ensure that people travelling outside the country through borders and airports at night were counted as well as eliminating incidents where some are counted twice.
Mr Mapeta expressed optimism that this year’s census would produce credible results based on the accuracy of information that members of the public will give to enumerators.
Since independence, Zimbabwe has conducted three successful censuses. The country holds a census after every 10 years with the first in 1982 showing that the country had 7,6 million people while in 1992 the population was 10,4 million.
In 2002, Zimbabwe had 11,6 million people.
Online Reporter