HARARE - Zimbabwe is short of $10 million to pay enumerators who carried out the once-a-decade national census.

Zimbabwe completed its fourth population census since independence from Britain in 1980 on August 27.

The first, second and third censuses were conducted in 1982, 1992 and 2002 respectively.

The Zimbabwe National Statical Office (Zimstat) will publish the first findings from its once-a-decade national headcount, based on a survey of all households. Experts believe it will show that the population has decreased.

Biti said the 2012 population census had a funding requirement of around US$40 million, money needed to train and pay 1 320 district level supervisors, 6 000 enumeration area supervisors and about 31 000 enumerators.

“By the time the exercise commenced, Treasury had availed about US$16,1 million,” Biti told a news conference on Thursday. “On the other hand, out of the US$12,6 million pledged by development partners, only US$3,4 million had actually been disbursed.

“During the past week, Treasury availed to Zimstat US$8,5 million, bringing the total disbursements to US$24,6 million. Clearly, there is still a funding gap of at least US$10 million with regards to enumerators’ expenses which Zimstat has been able to pay only partially.”

The population census will provide data on the demographic and related socio-economic characteristic of the population at national and sub-national levels.

It is also used for planning and implementing development programmes such as housing, provision of water and sanitation.