UPDF’s fourth division kicks off census exercise

The exercise was flagged off at the division headquarters in Gulu by Colonel Innocent Tukashaba, the division operations and training officer on behalf of the Division Commander Brigadier Michael Kabango.

Col Tukashaba revealed that the exercise will simultaneously be conducted in all affiliated units and formations operating under fourth infantry division headquarters, its brigade and battalion headquarters.

He urged commanders in their respective units to mobilize personnel’s and their families living in the barracks and to cooperate and support the UPDF enumerator team and supervisors with maximum discipline during the conduct of national census exercise.

Major Majid Waku, the 409 Brigade Political Commissar and the head of the enumeration team during the Baraza meeting said that the aim of the meeting was to mobilize the troops, sensitize and categories them according to their various groupings.

He educated officers and men about the significance and requirements of the enumeration exercise.

“Provide essential and honest facts to the government so that the state will reach a decision making that will facilitate the development of social economic policy making and planning that will benefit Ugandans adding that data given is confidential,” Maj Waku said.

UPDF fourth infantry division’s involvement in this census exercise is the first of its kind in support of Uganda Bureau of Statics (UBOS) in conducting the sixth national population and housing census exercise in all its establishments of Acholi and West Nile sub region.

This follows an agreement and a joint decision made between the UPDF-Ministry of Defence (UPDF-MOD) and UBOS in order to conduct the head count exercise successfully.

At the division, brigade and battalion headquarters, the team will enumerate personnel’s to include its affiliated units such as engineering, Ant Air Craft, Artillery, Chieftaincy of Communications and Information Technology, medical, and motorized infantry among other units and detaches only under their command.

Each unit and formation will operate on its own work plan during the conduct of the exercise which will end on May,19, 2024.