Quthing, May 05 — More than 40,000 people from four constituencies in Quthing have been enumerated in the ongoing Population and Housing Census, which is scheduled to run until May 19.

The exercise is being carried out by at least 250 enumerators temporarily engaged by the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning through the Bureau of Statistics (BOS).

District Census Coordinator, Mr. Motlatsi Kumi, told the Agency that the district aims to count over 97,600 people across more than 25,600 households.

He indicated that although progress has been made, several operational challenges have affected the smooth implementation of the exercise.

Mr. Kumi cited a shortage of tablets as one of the major constraints, noting that some enumerators are forced to share devices despite working in different enumeration areas.

He further explained that tablet batteries drain quickly, while limited access to power banks and charging facilities has compounded the situation. As a result, enumerators often depend on areas with electricity or high-capacity solar chargers, as many lack personal solar equipment.

Transport shortages have also slowed down operations, with the district operating only four vehicles instead of the required nine. This has made it difficult to effectively supervise field staff and respond promptly to emerging issues.

Additionally, Mr. Kumi said there were initial cases of resistance from some households, particularly in Sempe and Moyeni, where residents refused to participate due to concerns that their children were not recruited as enumerators. However, these issues have since been resolved.

He confirmed that all challenges have been reported to BOS headquarters, although interventions have yet to be implemented.

Mr. Kumi appealed to community leaders (Liphakoe) and the public to cooperate with enumerators and provide the necessary information to ensure the success of the census.

This census marks the first time Lesotho is conducting the exercise fully using digital equipment, including tablets with satellite connectivity. The initiative is expected to improve efficiency, minimise errors, and enable real-time corrections through enhanced communication between supervisors and field staff.

Population censuses are conducted every 10 years to generate reliable data critical for evidence-based planning, resource allocation, and governance. The findings inform the distribution of resources, development of public services such as education and healthcare, and monitoring of demographic trends.

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