By Chinoyi Chipulu
Finance minister Dr Situmbeko Musokotwane has advised opposition parties to be calm as the data collected during the 2022 census is credible.
And Musokotwane said opposition parties should find time to obtain the census documents and study the data.
After issuing a ministerial statement on the revised 2022 Census Report yesterday, Kantanshi member of parliament Anthony Mumba asked Musokotwane what message he had for the opposition so that the country could move on. In response, he said the data was credible and of high quality.
He referred to a newspaper headline that the opposition threatened civil obedience in the absence of a detailed report of census finding due to a statement that had been attributed to a government official, having declared the report null and void.
Mumba said now that Musokotwane had issued his statement, he wanted to know what his message he had to the opposition.
“Madam speaker, my message is simple and straight forward and the message is relax, because the data collected is credible, reliable and of high quality. Get some time, the document can be obtained either hard copy or soft copy. Get time to study the data, relax,” Musokotwane said.
And Mwense member of parliament David Mabumba asked Musokotwane to state population figures for all provinces, as he felt some provinces were left out during the ministerial statement.
In response, Musokotwane said it was not possible for him to give all the data but reports were ready.
“If you want to know demographics and population of your area, I urge you to get a copy,” he said.
Speaking earlier, Musokotwane said the main objectives of the 2022 Census included providing accurate and reliable information on the size, composition and distribution of Zambia’s population at various administrative levels.
He said to ensure data accuracy, training for census personnel was conducted, utilising advanced digital tools to minimise errors and conducted extensive validation processes.
Musokotwane said Zambia had experienced remarkable population growth over the past decade, surging from 13.1 million in 2010 to 19.7 million in 2022.
He also said Lusaka remained the most populous province, with its population increasing from 2,191,225 in 2010 to 3,093,617 in 2022, which represented a 41.2 percent rise.
“This reinforces Lusaka’s status as an urban hub that attracts economic migrants. The Copperbelt Province grew from 1,972,317 in 2010 to 2,768,192 in 2022, marking a 40.4% increase mainly driven by mining activities. In the moderate growth category, provinces such as Luapula, Western, and Muchinga experienced notable population increases of 53.2%, 52.3%, and 51.8%, respectively, between 2010 and 2022,” he said.
Musokotwane said one of the most notable developments in Zambia’s demographic landscape was the growth in the 19-34 years’ age group, which increased from 3,362,161 in 2010 to 5,145,361 in 2022.
He said household structures were evolving, with the total number of households increasing from 2.5million in 2010 to 4.1 million in 2022.
Musokotwane said these demographic transformations carried profound policy implications, but the government was proactively responding to demographic trends, paving the way for an inclusive and resilient future for all its citizens.
He highlighted the significance of the upcoming census publications, which would complement the Revised Population Summary Report.
The minister said the publications would provide essential data that would deepen the understanding of the country’s demographic and socio-economic landscape.
He said in continuing with the release of planned reports from the 2022 Census, all the remaining reports were expected to be released in the coming months up to August, 2025.
He said each publication would significantly contribute to shaping policies to enhance our citizens’ well-being.
The Minister said the total cost for the 2022 E-Census was K967 million.
He said funding was predominantly sourced from the government, which contributed over 90 percent of the necessary resources.
