Dr Chris Mukiza
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has accused the Ministry of Information, Communication Technology and National Guidance of illegally launching a National Data Strategy, escalating a disagreement over which government institution has the legal authority to oversee the country’s statistical affairs.
In a strongly worded public statement issued on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, UBOS Executive Director and Chief Statistician Dr Chris Mukiza said the strategy launched by the ministry breaches the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Act, 1998, which establishes UBOS as the principal agency responsible for collecting and disseminating data and coordinating the National Statistical System.
UBOS described the strategy as an existential threat to the law governing its operations, arguing that the ministry has no legal mandate to spearhead matters relating to statistics.
“The so-called ‘National Data Strategy’ breaches the provisions of the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) Act 1998, Cap 333,” the statement said.
The bureau’s public objection signals a dispute over institutional authority at a time when reliable data is increasingly important for government planning, public policy formulation and decision-making.
UBOS challenges ministry’s mandate
In the statement signed by Dr Mukiza, UBOS said the law gives it responsibility for coordinating, monitoring and supervising the National Statistical System.
The bureau cited several functions that it says fall within its statutory mandate, including providing high-quality central statistical information services and promoting standardisation in the collection, analysis and publication of statistics.
These responsibilities, according to UBOS, are intended to ensure that information produced across government institutions meets uniform standards of quality, adequacy and reliability.
The bureau also said it is legally responsible for reviewing initiatives to collect data at national and local government levels and approving data-collection instruments.
Such instruments include census frameworks, registers, sample designs and questionnaires used in collecting information for official statistical purposes.
Additionally, UBOS said the law mandates it to organise and maintain a central repository of statistical reports, publications, documents and data originating both within and outside Uganda.
The bureau argues that these provisions leave no room for another government institution to take the lead on statistical matters without regard to its established legal responsibilities.
“UBOS informs the public that the MoICT&NG has no legal mandate to spearhead matters incidental to statistics. That mandate is vested with the Uganda Bureau of Statistics,” the statement said.
Bureau questions value of new strategy
Beyond challenging the ministry’s legal authority, UBOS questioned the necessity of introducing the National Data Strategy, arguing that existing frameworks already address the areas it seeks to cover.
According to the bureau, the relevant issues are comprehensively provided for under the UBOS Act, the Plan for National Statistics Development, the UBOS Strategic Plan and the Data Quality Assessment Framework.
The Plan for National Statistics Development covers the entire National Statistical System, while the other frameworks guide the bureau’s institutional priorities and the quality of statistical information.
UBOS therefore argued that the new strategy duplicates existing arrangements rather than filling an identified gap.
“The launch of that ‘National Data Strategy’ is an existential threat to the UBOS Act and is, therefore, illegal, irregular, redundant and adds no value to the National Statistical System,” the statement said.
The bureau did not outline specific provisions of the ministry’s strategy that it considers inconsistent with the existing frameworks, nor did the statement detail any consultations that may have preceded the launch.
The ministry’s position on the allegations was also not included in the statement.
Implications for government data
The disagreement raises questions about coordination among government institutions responsible for generating, managing and using information.
Official statistics support decisions on public expenditure, population planning, service delivery and the assessment of government programmes. Consistent standards are therefore important to ensure that data collected by different agencies can be compared and used reliably.
UBOS maintains that its statutory oversight is necessary to preserve uniformity and quality across the National Statistical System.
If the disagreement remains unresolved, it could create uncertainty over institutional responsibilities in implementing data-related initiatives. However, the statement does not establish that government statistical operations have been disrupted.
Dr Mukiza reaffirmed the bureau’s commitment to providing reliable statistical services to support evidence-based planning, policy formulation and decision-making.
In an unusually forceful conclusion, UBOS urged the public to treat the newly launched strategy with “the utmost contempt it deserves,” underscoring the seriousness of its objection.
The statement did not announce legal proceedings or specify what action UBOS intends to take against the ministry.
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