New Gov’t Report Makes Interesting Poop Findings

The newly released 2024 census report by UBOS is 380 pages and covers many things including the availability of toilet facilities and the ease with which majority Ugandans can access the same.

The report shows that in many parts of Uganda, access to decent toilet facilities remains very constrained, something that exposes many of Uganda’s children to poor sanitation-related vulnerability.

It’s revealed in the report that in Karamoja, only 12% of the children live in homes or households which have their own toilet as the rest are left to use open defecation or to rely on shared toilet facilities with neighbors who might be doing better.

In Buganda, which is the region with best access to decent toilet facilities, 62% of the children are able to daily access and use decent toilet facilities. Still, this leaves the remaining 48% in turmoil and extreme sanitation-related vulnerability.

The same report shows how low numbers of children have access to toilets from their own respective homes or households and this varies in different sub regions as is illustrated below: In West Nile, only 27% of the children have access to decent toilet facilities, which enables them to safely and effectively dispose their faecal matter.

It’s 30% in Acholi, 36% in Bunyoro, 36% in Tooro, 38% in Ankole, 29% in Kigezi, 40% in Busoga, 32% in Bukedi (Tororo etc), 34% in Elgon, 24% in Teso, 27% in Lango and mere 12% in Karamoja. This indicator shows there is need for the GoU to do a lot more and to quickly prioritize household level hygiene for especially Uganda’s children aged 17 years and below.

The same UBOS Census report 2024 shows that nationally, 6% of children in Uganda have no access to toilet facilities at all; which leaves them with no option but to depend on open defecation (basically in bushes).

In Karamoja, 61% of the children live under very appalling conditions, which leaves them with no option but to thrive on open defecation. In Acholi, its 14% and 11% in Teso. The other sub regions rank as follows; 8% in West Nile, Bukedi 6%, Lango 5%, Bunyoro 4%, Busoga 4%, Elgon 3%, Tooro 2%, Buganda 1.7%, Ankole 1.2% and Kigezi 1%.

Being the chief consumer of UBOS statistics, President Museveni will predictably find this very interesting and it’s our prayer that he is promptly moved to action so that this appalling situation is mitigated by the GoU on good time.