The Commissioner for the 2022 Population and Housing Census, Anne Makinda, has urged census experts to pass on their knowledge to young graduates, ensuring their expertise benefits future generations in producing professional census reports.

Makinda made this call on Saturday during the launch of the thematic reports drafting exercise for the 2022 Population and Housing Census, held in Dar es Salaam. 

The drafting process marks a key activity in the third phase of the census, which is conducted every ten years.

She also encouraged ministries, heads of departments, government agencies, and local government authorities to continue using census data as the foundation for all development-related decisions.

Makinda highlighted that about 24 reports have been issued so far. However, she noted that the earlier reports provided general information without delving into sector-specific thematic areas, as prescribed by United Nations guidelines.

The government plans to prepare 15 thematic reports based on the 2022 census results. The first phase will involve the preparation of five thematic reports, focusing on fertility and nuptiality, mortality and health, disability, population dynamics, and education and literacy. 

The remaining ten reports will be prepared in subsequent phases.

“These reports will serve as a foundation for policy decisions, as well as planning for both the government and the private sector,” Makinda stated. 

She added that the reports will help track and measure the implementation of various national, regional, and international development agendas.

The reports will contribute to key national plans such as the Third Five-Year National Development Plan (ending in 2025/26), the National Development Vision 2025, and will support the formulation of the National Development Vision 2050. 

Internationally, they will aid in monitoring the progress of the Global Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, the African Development Agenda 2063, and the East African Development Vision 2050.

Chief Statistician Dr. Albina Chuwa emphasized that the thematic areas selected for detailed analysis are based on the need for relevant information critical to the country's development.

According to Dr. Chuwa, the initial draft of the five reports is expected to be completed within 14 days, after which they will undergo review by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and the Office of the Chief Government Statistician (OCGS). 

The drafts will be presented to stakeholders, including policymakers, for further input and refinement.

The project is being carried out by the government in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Salum Kassim Ali, Chief Statistician for Zanzibar, called on the assigned experts to complete the reports within the scheduled timeframe, noting that both the government and development partners are awaiting the results to inform strategic development decisions.

"I am confident that the assignment of experts to each team will yield positive results, ensuring timely completion of this important work," said Ali.