Zim population census ends

US$8 million towards payment of allowances to enumerators.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti told journalists that at least 98 percent of Zimbabwe would have been covered by Sunday.
The mopping up programme was completed yesterday.

“I am pleased to advise that as of yesterday (Sunday) enumeration was on course and our staff had covered 98 percent of the country.
“As we speak our staff is engaged in mopping up exercises of areas that might have been left behind,” he said.
Minister Biti said data collation            and analysis would start immediately after the end of the enumeration process.

“I therefore would like to advise that the process will end today and am happy to say our process was done using UN principles and Sadc guide­lines.
“Once the enumeration process fin­ishes today, collation and data analysis will commence on the same path as done before so that we start having preliminary results by the end of the year,” Minister Biti said.

The Finance Minister said Govern­ment had released US$8 million to the Zimbabwe Statistical Agency yester­day.
“As of today (yesterday) we will release US$8 million to Zimstat so that enumerators are paid,” he said.
Minister Biti also said the United Nations Population Fund had released US$12 million towards the comple­tion of the process.

He urged donors to continue sup­porting the programme so that it is completed smoothly.
The 2012 population census was marred by disturbances when it started when thousands of prospective enumerators wishing to take part in the process jostled at various centres countrywide to take part in the process.

The enumeration started on the midnight of August 17 with the counting of vagrants and those in transit.
It, however, started on August 18 in some areas due to logistical problems.

The enumeration process was also affected by late disbursement of materials while transport shortages also affected deployment of some officers to remote areas.

At least 30 000 enumerators, mostly drawn from the education sector, took part in the enumeration exercise.

Zimbabwe has successfully conducted population after every 10 years since 1982.
The other censuses were held in 1992 and 2002.