HARARE, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's preparations for the 2022 national population census are on course, despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said Tuesday.
"Government assures the nation that, in spite of preparations for the exercise having been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the country remains on course to conduct the Census within the prescribed timeframe for the 2023 elections," Mutsvangwa said when addressing a post-cabinet media briefing.
Zimbabwe conducts a population census every 10 years and the 2022 survey will be the fifth since the country's independence from Britain in 1980.
She said the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works is expected to conclude the boundary proclamations for wards, districts and provinces in order to ensure that enumeration areas are correctly assigned.
Thereafter, the census field mapping exercise can be finalized, before the actual enumeration proceeds.
"Cabinet is pleased to report that 55 percent of the country has so far been successfully mapped, despite up to 10 months of programmed time having been lost to COVID-19 restrictions," Mutsvangwa said.
She said that for the first time in the history of Zimbabwe, census enumeration will go paperless, since the computer-assisted personal interviewing (CAPI) technique will be employed in data collection.
"Given that this is the first time Zimbabwe will use the paperless CAPI technique, more than one pilot census will be run to test the technology, with re-tests being conducted. This will last up to the first quarter of 2022," she added.
The actual census will start in April 2022, with the results expected to be released four months later, paving the way for the constituencies' delimitation in October 2022.
Zimbabwe will hold its next general elections in 2023. Enditem
