Lamu Islanders call for early census, fear being left out

Lamu residents in far flung islands facing logistical challenges and considered not easily reachable have called on the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) to commence an earlier census in their areas.

The next census in Kenya is set to be conducted in August, 2019.

But the residents mostly from Mwongo-Shariff Island, Mkokoni, Kiwayu, Ndau, Kiunga, Ishakani, Madina, Bahamisi, Basuba, Milimani, Mangai, Mararani, Kiangwe and other parts of Lamu East have called for the need to have the census conducted prior to the official start date so as to ensure they are well covered this time around.

The residents expressed worry that they could be left out of the forthcoming census exercise due to the many challenges facing their villages including insecurity and bad roads.

In Kenya census is normally conducted after every 10 years and has been consistently taken place since 1969 in August from the night of 24th.

The last census, in 2009, found a population of 38,610,097 people.

The locals insisted that their areas are sparsely populated as people keep moving out due to the poor infrastructure and less modernity.

They are worried that waiting up to 2019 would be disastrous as many people will have moved out by then.

Mr Abdulrhaman Lali cited the state of insecurity in their villages as the major challenge which has even caused a huge exodus of locals to other parts of Lamu and the rest of the country.

“We appeal to the government and the KNBS to conduct the cenus in our villages earlier so that everyone can be captured. Back in 2009, many people had moved to Mombasa and Malindi and all over and that’s why Lamu East is considered to be least populated but that’s not the case. There are many reasons why people move, talk of insecurity, poor infrastructure like bad roads, hospitals and schools. Such challenges make people shy away from staying intact in their villages,” said Mr Lali.

Lamu County, which has 6,273 square kilometers, is Kenya’s least populated region with only 101, 539 people according to the 2009 population census.

Mr Noya Buli, a Nyumba Kumi elder from the terror prone Basuba ward said they are worried their ward could be scrapped due to the fact that it has no registered voters as many have moved out.

Basuba ward has been adversely affected by insecurity brought about by constant Al-Shabaab attacks.

“If we wait until 2019, no one will be here in Basuba when that time comes. People will have gone away. Let them do that census now so we can be counted while still here or else this ward will be broken away,” said Mr Buli.