afrol News, 30 April - South Sudan population Census Commissioner has expressed satisfaction on the recent population census despite challenges in accessing some of the southern states, local media reports have said.

The commissioner has affirmed the success of the census conducted last April saying more than 89,9 percent of the population was covered, indicated that a technical solutions has been conducted regarding parts of the country that were not covered.

However, the President of Southern Sudan Kiir Mayardit said the census results are not conclusive, alleging that the figures were being deflated in some regions and inflated in others, saying the final tally is not the true reflection of the country’s population.

The South Sudan government has criticised the preliminary figures saying the Darfur figures are way too inflated given the instability in the region also citing the number of deaths and displaced people in the region. “And, if we also compare the figures of 1993 with the 2008 figures, there is a very big gap. So we are questioning the validity of those figures," said the officials.

President Kiir said that according to the 2008 census figures, the population in Western Sudan jumped from over 3 million to 7.2 million in spite of war, displacement and insecurity. “How possible is it that the population increased when so many lives were lost during the war and many more took flight from the area?” he asked.

Some South Sudan officials had earlier on warned that they will not accept results reflecting its populations as being less than the third of the country or 11-13 million according to some other officials.

The census was conducted last April to update Sudan's population figures, as the country heads into national elections in 2010 and a referendum in 2011 for South Sudan to become an independent state.

Sudan's last census was held in 1993 and it is the first inclusive census since the country gained independence.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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