DAR ES SALAAM, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan has sanctioned a declaration of a public holiday on Aug. 23, a day when the National Population and Housing Census will be held, an official announced on Thursday.
The announcement was made by Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa when he addressed the 7th meeting of the National Population and Housing Census Committee in the capital Dar es Salaam.
Majaliwa said declaring the census day a public holiday is aimed at enabling Tanzanians to fully participate in the national population census.
"The holiday will enable people to stay at home and be counted by the census clerks on the census day," said Majaliwa.
On April 8, President Hassan announced the date for the country's National Population and Housing Census and urged citizens to be counted for their own benefit.
She urged all Tanzanians to get counted on the census day, saying the population and housing census was aimed at enabling the government to put in place plans that will help it provide services to the people.
The last Population and Housing Census were conducted in Tanzania in 2012. ■