Bokang Mofoka
THE long-anticipated Lesotho Population and Housing Census, which was expected to commence last week, has reportedly been clouded by a range of challenges.
The 2026 census was scheduled to begin on 12 April 2025. However, its rollout has been hampered by several issues, including a shortage of essential working resources such as tablets.
The Lesotho Times has established that in some areas, including Butha-Buthe, the exercise is now expected to begin only this Saturday.
An enumerator, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, told the Lesotho Times that fieldwork has been delayed due to a lack of resources.
“At the moment, we have only received T-shirts. We were told that other materials will be provided later,” the enumerator said.
The enumerator also said they expected to be equipped with items such as backpacks and power banks, particularly for use in remote areas without electricity.
The source also raised concerns about the functionality of tablets intended for data collection, revealing that some devices were faulty and had been sent back for repairs.
“Some of the tablets are not working and have been returned. This means we now have to share devices, even though we are assigned to different villages, which will slow down the process,” the enumerator explained.
Another enumerator in the Quthing district said that while some areas have already begun the exercise, others have been instructed to wait.
“We have been told not to start yet, even though our training is complete, because other districts are still undergoing training. The directive is that we must all begin at the same time,” the enumerator said.
The enumerator said they were ordered to return to their training venues despite there being little to do.
“We have been sent back to the training site, but nothing is happening. The venue that was rented is no longer accessible, so as we speak we are waiting outside in the rain.”
The population and housing census is conducted every 10 years, following the last count in 2016.
The 2026 census had also come under intense parliamentary scrutiny, with the government forced to address allegations that the ruling Revolution for Prosperity (RFP) party engaged in the unlawful hiring of its supporters. These claims led some observers to label the exercise an “RFP census”.
Concerns over a lack of transparency in the recruitment process had further fuelled public discontent, with some Basotho reportedly considering a boycott of the exercise. However, the government refuted the claims, stating that it had hired people on merit through the assistance of the Ministry of Public Service.
Contacted for comment, Bureau of Statistics spokesperson, Neo Mokatsa, said she was not aware of the reported challenges and would investigate.
“I am not aware of these issues, but I will follow up to establish what is happening on the ground,” she said.
She added that, in districts where the census has already begun, there have been no reports of residents refusing to participate, despite earlier concerns about possible resistance linked to the recruitment process.
“So far, in areas where the census is underway, we have not received any reports of people refusing to be counted,” Ms Mokatsa said.
