Moshi SOME 116 hamlets and village chairmen, in Hai District of Kilimanjaro Region, who had threatened to boycott participation in the national population and housing census, scheduled for Sunday, have changed their mind and now were willing to cooperate with the census enumerators in the exercise, it was learnt here on Friday.
The imminent boycott was revealed here by the Regional Commissioner, Mr Leonidas Gama in a press conference where he informed journalists that the Hai village leaders said they were boycotting the national census in their areas of jurisdiction allegedly because Hai District Council were yet to pay them their outstanding allowances which they claimed were long overdue.
Mr Gama reiterated that helping census clerks during the exercise was part of their duties, as Government functionaries and that doing the contrary will be adduced to relinquishing part of their functions and that all avenues will have to be explored for immediate replacements.
However, it came to light that allowance claims was baseless as the Government commitment to pay allowances was effective this financial year and not to be disbursed retrospectively. However, Mr Gama has commended religious leaders for mobilizing their congregations to participate in the national census, which is intended to enable the Government to wisely plan for future development.
Mr Gama has also revealed that all was set for the census in Kilimanjaro region, saying a total of 3,357 centres were in place of which 2,279 were for short questionnaires, while 1,078 were set for long questionnaires.
He said 4,937 census clerks have been trained of whom 2,156 were assigned to conduct log questionnaires, while short questionnaires will be conducted by 2,279 clerks, adding that there will be 153 reserve clerks and 349 supervisors.
Mr Gama has urged the District Defence and Security Committees to ensure that peace prevails during the census exercise and that trouble-shooters should face the wrath of the law.