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By Cantona Joseph April 01, 2026 09:01 (EAT)

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The elections, originally scheduled for Thursday, April 9, will now be held on Thursday, April 23.

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The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has postponed its Repeat Phase II grassroots elections to give party members additional time to register and verify their details.

The elections, originally scheduled for Thursday, April 9, will now be held on Thursday, April 23, from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm.

In a notice issued by the UDA National Elections Board (NEB) on Tuesday, the party said the decision followed extensive consultations and requests from members in affected counties seeking more time to complete registration and verification processes.

“The Repeat Phase II Grassroots Elections, initially scheduled for April 9, shall now be conducted on April 23. This rescheduling applies to 22 counties including Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, Tana River, Lamu, Taita Taveta, Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Marsabit, Isiolo, Kitui, Machakos, Makueni, Turkana, Kajiado, Bungoma, Siaya, Kisumu, Migori, Kisii and Nyamira,” the NEB notice stated.

The party also extended the registration period until Friday, April 10, at 5.00 pm, with verification of members’ details scheduled for April 11 and 12.

UDA urged all eligible members to register and confirm their information strictly within the timelines provided to ensure their participation in the elections.

The announcement comes days after Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who is also UDA deputy party leader, outlined plans for the county leaders’ elections to conclude by April 9.

At the time, Kindiki said the elections had started in 18 counties, including Trans-Nzoia, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi, Vihiga, Kericho, Bomet, Baringo, Uasin Gishu, Laikipia, Nyandarua, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Embu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Murang’a and Kiambu.

Five other counties had reportedly completed their elections up to the county level before the rescheduling.

Kindiki described the exercise as ambitious but important, emphasising its role in strengthening internal party democracy and ensuring a fair representation of members at the grassroots.

In its notice, the party reassured members that NEB remains committed to conducting transparent and orderly elections.

“Eligible members are invited to register and confirm their details strictly in accordance with the provided timelines in preparation for the elections,” the statement said.

UDA has been conducting grassroots elections in phases across different counties as it seeks to establish leadership structures from the polling station level to the national level.

The party has maintained that the process is designed to empower members at the grassroots and ensure leaders are directly accountable to party supporters.

The UDA grassroots elections are a key part of the party’s internal governance, aimed at electing leaders at ward, constituency, and county levels, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Rachel: We hold keshas at State House every Friday

She explained that the sessions bring together leaders and individuals who seek spiritual renewal and divine wisdom.

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First Lady Rachel Ruto has disclosed that government officials regularly hold spiritual gatherings, including overnight prayer sessions at State House every Friday.

She said the sessions bring together leaders and individuals who seek spiritual renewal and divine wisdom and that prayer plays a central role in Kenya’s leadership,

“We have overnight prayers every Friday in the State House. Yes, we call them keshas,” she said, underscoring the consistency of the practice at the highest level of government.

Rachel Ruto described Kenya as a nation deeply rooted in faith, where public and private institutions frequently turn to prayer as a source of guidance. 

She said leaders across different levels of government seek divine intervention to help them navigate the challenges of leadership and decision-making.

“Kenya for you is a country where the leadership loves God,” Rachel said. “We have prayers in government offices, we have prayers in private offices and we have prayers everywhere.”

According to her, prayer is not limited to formal settings but is a common practice across the country. She said it is not unusual to find groups of Kenyans gathered in public spaces such as parks, engaged in collective prayer sessions.

These moments, she said, reflect a broader national culture that prioritises faith as a guiding principle.

Rachel said effective leadership requires a recognition of human limitations and a willingness to rely on God for guidance.

“We’re not saying that to brag about it, but to say that it is in going down that the Lord comes,” she added, pointing to humility as a key value underpinning the practice.

Her remarks come at a time when the role of religion in governance continues to spark debate in Kenya, a country where faith remains a significant influence in public life.

Supporters often argue that spiritual grounding helps leaders remain accountable and morally upright, while critics sometimes question the intersection between religion and state affairs.

Nevertheless, the First Lady’s comments reinforce the image of an administration that openly embraces faith as part of its leadership approach.

By highlighting the routine nature of prayer within government spaces, she painted a picture of leaders who actively seek divine support in executing their duties.

Rachel’s remarks suggest that, for many in leadership, prayer remains a key pillar in their pursuit of solutions and effective governance.

How Gikomba Market will look after modernisation

“We must pay attention to Gikomba Market,” Ruto said.

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President William Ruto has shared a video outlining his plans and visuals of the newly proposed Gikomba Market, hours after a section of the shoe market was demolished overnight.

The clip, posted on Ruto’s social media account, compiled excerpts of his past statements on the market’s modernisation.

“We must pay attention to Gikomba Market because it is a national market serving a network of traders across Kenya,” Ruto said in the video.

The clip also highlighted the government’s commitment under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) to invest Sh3 billion in the project.

Proposed outlook of the Gikomba Market/UDA X

“A new dawn begins at Gikomba Market. This initiative will improve working conditions, enhance safety, and support thousands of traders who depend on it every day. Practical, people-first development is underway, transforming Kenya into a modern, first-world country,” he added.

The demolition of the shoe market section on Monday night sparked outrage among traders after reports that bulldozers cleared the area while many traders were away.

Boniface Muigai, Chairman of the Shoe Market, confirmed in the video shared by Ruto that traders were aware of the planned relocation project.

“The modernisation of Gikomba Market is a strategic initiative to enhance safety, improve infrastructure, and create an environment that supports traders and consumers alike,” he said.

The Gikomba market project is part of the government’s broader urban redevelopment plans and reflects its vision for modern marketplaces in Nairobi.

Authorities have assured traders that phased demolitions and relocation will ensure minimal disruption while enabling the construction of a safer, more modern facility.

He explained that a temporary holding area had been provided for traders before the construction of the modern market.

Muigai added that demolitions would continue in phases and urged traders to cooperate.

“The modernisation of Gikomba Market is a strategic initiative to enhance safety, improve infrastructure, and create an environment that supports both traders and consumers,” he said.

The Gikomba Market project forms part of the government’s broader urban redevelopment plans and reflects its vision for modern marketplaces in Nairobi.

Authorities have assured traders that phased demolitions and relocation will minimise disruption while allowing for the construction of a safer, more modern facility.

Schools to break for April holiday on Thursday after 13-week first term

Learners are set to resume on April 27 for second term.

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Schools will officially close on Thursday, April 2, marking the end of a 13-week first term in the 2026 academic calendar.

Learners in pre-primary, primary, junior and senior schools will proceed on a three-week holiday, with the second term scheduled to begin on April 27, 2026.

However, some boarding schools began releasing learners as early as Monday, March 30, in a bid to cut operational costs.

The early departures come against the backdrop of funding concerns, with school heads indicating that government capitation remains insufficient.

The government disbursed Sh44.2 billion to public schools on January 2, but administrators say the allocation covered barely half of the funds required for the first term.

Capitation is issued based on verified student enrolment using a 50:30:20 ratio across the academic year—50 per cent in Term One, 30 per cent in Term Two, and 20 per cent in Term Three.

Some secondary school principals reported receiving Sh7,000 per learner, falling short of the expected Sh11,112 for the first term, which represents half of the annual Sh22,244 allocated per student in public secondary schools.

Meanwhile, police have stepped up security measures to manage the surge in travel associated with school closures and the Easter holiday period.

The National Police Service (NPS) said it has intensified traffic enforcement and increased security presence as families and learners travel across the country.

The service noted that the holiday period is typically marked by heightened movement and social gatherings, presenting unique safety and security challenges that require a coordinated response to maintain law and order.

In a statement, police spokesperson Muchiri Nyaga called for collective responsibility in ensuring road safety, urging pedestrians, matatu operators and boda boda riders to strictly observe traffic regulations.

“This includes observing speed limits, using designated crossing areas, wearing protective gear and reflective clothing, and avoiding risky behaviours such as driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

Nyaga added that the NPS has deployed additional officers to boost patrols and enhance surveillance in public spaces and residential areas.

“We strongly encourage the public to remain vigilant and continuously share timely information about any suspicious activity,” he said.

The April school holiday will run until April 26, with learners expected to report back on April 27 for the second term. The term will last 14 weeks and conclude on July 31, 2026.

A mid-term break is scheduled from June 24 to June 28, after which learners will continue until the end of term before proceeding on another three-week holiday from August 3 to August 21, 2026.

PSC rolls out new system to spot fake academic papers

New integrated platform promises instant document authentication.

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The Public Service Commission (PSC) has attributed its difficulty in decisively curbing the proliferation of fake academic certificates in the civil service to ageing technology.

PSC Chairman Francis Meja said the Commission’s verification systems are outdated, slow and costly, creating loopholes that have been exploited by job seekers using forged credentials.

“The Commission is relying on old technology to verify and weed out fake papers. As a result, the process takes too long and is expensive,” Meja said.

However, the PSC chairman said the agency has now adopted a new strategy and is working with other government institutions, such as the Commission for University Education (CUE), to address the challenge.

PSC is also working with the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to roll out a modern, integrated system capable of instantly authenticating academic documents.

Instead of relying on manual background checks when authenticating academic papers, PSC says it has developed an ICT system integrated with the other agencies that will make it easier to detect fraudulent documents.

“We are carrying out reforms with the two institutions that will enable us to detect a fake academic document at the press of a button,” the PSC chairman said.

Meja was speaking last evening while appearing before the National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities during a session at Bunge Tower.

This emerged as lawmakers increased pressure on the agency over staffing gaps and governance concerns.

Meja maintained that the Commission is undergoing far-reaching reforms aimed at modernising its operations and restoring integrity in public service hiring.

“The system we are using is 15 years old. We are making major changes that will have a positive impact. I urge the Committee to support an increase in our budget so we can fund our programmes effectively,” he said.

The remarks were in response to concerns raised by Ndhiwa MP Martin Owino, who questioned the Commission’s failure to stem the rising use of forged certificates to secure public jobs and promotions.

The session also highlighted internal capacity challenges at the PSC, with Chief Executive Officer Paul Famba disclosing a significant staffing shortfall that is hampering operations.

“The approved staff establishment is 518, but we currently have only 273 employees, leaving a gap of 245,” Famba told MPs.

Lawmakers termed the situation ironic, noting that a body mandated to recruit public servants is itself understaffed, with Luanda MP Dick Maungu urging the Commission to lead by example by filling vacant positions.

“If PSC, whose core mandate is to hire public servants, is complaining about staff shortages, what about other State agencies?” posed Maungu.

The committee further pushed back on the Commission’s proposal to decentralise services to the county level, terming the plan overly ambitious given current budgetary constraints.

“Your plan to move services to the county level is very ambitious. Due to a lack of resources, you should start by decentralising to regional levels first,” Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron said.

Concerns over governance also emerged, with Committee Chair Adan Yussuf Haji questioning why six officers above the mandatory retirement age of 60 remain on the PSC payroll.

“What justification do you have for keeping retirees in your system while many young people remain unemployed?” he asked.

Malava MP Athman Ndakwa echoed the concern, attributing persistent challenges in the public service to the absence of a clear employment policy.

“Chairman Meja, I hope you are the new broom that will clean up corruption, nepotism and other bad practices in the Commission,” he said.

On youth employment, Famba told the committee that the PSC has recruited 8,200 interns since 2019, supported by an annual budget of Sh2 billion for stipends. He, however, noted that additional funding is required to sustain and expand the programme.

“We need more resources to support recruitment, training, monitoring and evaluation of interns,” he said.

MPs to engage partners over rising cancer deaths

Lawmakers observed that many forms of cancer that can be cured if diagnosed early.

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National Assembly’s Committee on Health has resolved to engage stakeholders in the health sector to address the increasing number of cancer-related deaths in the country.

Committee chairperson James Nyikal (Seme) announced the resolution after members of the House team raised an alarm over the high number of people dying from the disease.

During a session to adopt the committee schedule for the month of April, members noted that something must be done to reduce the number of cancer cases and also to create awareness on how to manage and prevent the disease.

“We need a serious national cancer dialogue. The dialogue should start by establishing the status of the disease, the national response and the magnitude of the problem. As a committee, we are ready to spearhead the process with key stakeholders,” Nyikal said.

Earlier, Moyale MP Jaldesa Guyo and Endebess MP Robert Pukose, who are both medical doctors, observed that many people die from diseases that can be cured if diagnosed early.

“We have forms of cancer that are preventable, such as cervical cancer. If, as a committee, in conjunction with female lawmakers, we champion early screening and uptake of the HPV vaccine, we will reduce the number of people affected by the disease,” he said.

Pukose said there is need to invest more in research and empower institutions such as the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and the National Cancer Institute to assess the types of cancer affecting people and their regional distribution.

“To understand the problem we are dealing with, we must examine the regional distribution of cancer and even narrow it down to specific types that may be prevalent in certain areas. We also need to engage institutions like KEMRI and consider increased funding for cancer research,” he said.

Kilgoris MP Julius Sunkuli and Nandi Woman Representative Cynthia Muge supported the calls for a national dialogue.

They agreed that the disease requires a multi-agency and multifaceted approach, similar to how HIV and AIDS has been addressed after being first reported in the country in the 1980’s.

Cancer is a major public health concern in Kenya, ranking as the third leading cause of death, with more than 47,000 new cases and roughly 32,000 to 33,000 cancer-related deaths recorded annually.

The high burden is driven by cancers such as breast, cervical, prostate, oesophageal and colorectal cancer, with women being disproportionately affected.

Over 60 –70 per cent of cancer cases are diagnosed at late stages, often due to inadequate screening and awareness.

Limited access to specialised treatment centres, especially in rural areas, and high treatment costs often lead patients to abandon care. 

MPs approve 15% Safaricom share sale to Vodacom

The approval sets the stage for National Treasury to proceed with the transaction.

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The National Assembly has approved the partial sale of government shares in Safaricom to Vodacom, paving the way for a transaction expected to raise about Sh240 billion for infrastructure development.

The House on Tuesday adopted a joint report by the Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, allowing the government to offload a 15 per cent stake in the telecommunications firm.

The approval sets the stage for the National Treasury to proceed with the transaction from April 1 or later once all regulatory conditions outlined in the share purchase agreement are met.

The deal is expected to generate about Sh200 billion from the share sale and an additional Sh40.2 billion in upfront payments in lieu of future dividends.

The proceeds will be channelled into the National Infrastructure Fund to support key development projects.

The decision, however, was not without controversy, as Suba South MP Caroli Omondi raised concerns over an ongoing court case challenging the transaction.

He questioned whether Parliament could proceed with the approval while the matter was still before the courts.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula dismissed the concerns, ruling that Parliament was not a party to the case and could not be barred from executing its constitutional mandate.

“Parliament is not a party to those proceedings. The orders given, if authentic, are not directed at Parliament. This House has a constitutional responsibility to transact its business,” he said.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah also downplayed the objections, saying the issue had already been debated in the House.

“Caroli Omondi participated in the debate and opposed it; he should have raised those issues at that stage,” Ichung’wah said.

A joint parliamentary committee had earlier reviewed the proposal and endorsed the sale, subject to conditions aimed at safeguarding public interest.

Among the key recommendations was that the transaction should not result in job losses and that Safaricom’s existing business model should be preserved.

The committee also found that the agreed share price aligns with current market trends and includes measures to protect stakeholders.

MPs emphasised that employees’ jobs must be protected and that personal data would remain secure under existing cybercrime laws.

In addition, the committee recommended that part of the payment be made upfront in the form of dividends, with all proceeds ring-fenced for infrastructure funding.

Meanwhile, Safaricom has defended the transaction in court, arguing that it is lawful and subject to regulatory oversight.

Through its lawyers, the company warned that suspending the process could unsettle financial markets and weaken investor confidence.

It maintained that the dispute is largely commercial in nature and already under review by the relevant regulatory authorities.

If completed, the transaction will increase Vodacom’s stake in Safaricom from 40 per cent to 55 per cent, giving it majority control of the company, while the government’s shareholding will reduce from 35 per cent.

Chinese worker found dead in Talanta Stadium latrine

Police say a chef attached to the Chinese management at the facility discovered an adult Chinese male unresponsive inside a community latrine.

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Police in Nairobi are investigating the sudden death of a Chinese worker who was found unresponsive in a latrine at the Talanta Stadium premises in Jamhuri, Nairobi.

The incident was reported onMonday morning by officers stationed at the stadium, which is under construction.

Preliminary information indicates that, that morning, a chef attached to the Chinese management at the facility discovered an adult Chinese male unresponsive inside a community latrine.

Security officers guarding the premises, together with other Chinese nationals, responded to the scene and confirmed the situation before rushing the man to Nairobi Hospital.

However, he was pronounced dead upon arrival. Police later visited the hospital’s emergency department, where the body was examined and processed.

Authorities noted a slight injury on the right side of the head, though the cause of death remains unclear.

The body was moved to Lee Funeral Home, where it awaits a postmortem examination.

Investigations into the incident are ongoing, Nairobi police boss Issa Mohamud said.

He said they are open to both murder and sudden death probe. Meanwhile, police in Mandera Central subcounty have launched investigations after the body of an unidentified man was discovered in Guya Madhoo area.

The incident was reported at around 2.19 pm, prompting officers led to visit the scene.

Upon arrival, the officers found the body of an unknown adult male lying at the location. Preliminary examination revealed that the deceased had sustained visible injuries in the head, while the right hand appeared fractured at the collarbone, suggesting he may have been assaulted.

The body was moved to Elwak Sub-County Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation, where it awaits identification and a postmortem examination.

Police have opened investigations into the incident and are appealing to members of the public with missing relatives or relevant information to come forward to assist in identifying the deceased.

And police in Habaswein subcounty, Wajir county, confirmed the death of a herder who was electrocuted while trying to rescue his livestock in Dilmanyale area.

Ismail Farah was in the company of two other people at the time of the incident.

Preliminary findings indicate that Farah was electrocuted while attempting to save two of his goats that had become trapped beneath a fallen electric pole.

The scene was documented and photographed by investigators before the body was collected and taken to Habaswein General Hospital mortuary.

A postmortem examination was conducted, after which the body was released to the family for burial in accordance with Islamic rites.

Police have urged residents to exercise caution around fallen power lines and to report such incidents promptly to relevant authorities.

Trump says US will leave Iran in ‘two or three weeks’ whether ‘we have a deal or not’

Trump says Iran is “begging to make a deal” but whether it happens or not is “irrelevant” to America’s timetable.

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President Donald Trump says the US will “leave” Iran in “two to three weeks” when they are certain the regime cannot build a nuclear weapon “for years”

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump says Iran is “begging to make a deal” but whether it happens or not is “irrelevant” to America’s timetable.

Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran had the “necessary will” to end the war provided its enemies guaranteed it would not flare up again.

China’s Xi Jinping is stepping up efforts to push for a ceasefire – our correspondent in Beijing explains why.

Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said at least seven people had been killed by Israeli strikes as the IDF says it struck a Hezbollah commander and another senior figure in two attacks across Beirut.

Trump is set to give an “important update on Iran” in a national address scheduled for Wednesday night.

‘The Strait of Hormuz will certainly reopen but not for you’ – Iran MP to Trump

The head of Iranian Parliament’s National Security Committee, Ebrahim Azizi, has used his X account to send a message to Donald Trump, telling him: “The Strait of Hormuz will certainly reopen, but not for you; it will be open for those who comply with the new laws of Iran.”

Azizi has said the “47 years of hospitality are over forever”, referring to the period since Iran’s 1979 Revolution.

Azizi added: “Trump has finally achieved his dream of ‘regime change’—but in the region’s maritime regime!”

Iran’s National Security Committee has approved a plan to toll vessels crossing through the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported on Monday.

Israel’s ‘Gaza model’ for Lebanon

Israel’s Minister of Defence has said a buffer zone will be set up inside southern Lebanon and that Israel will keep security control over a swathe of the territory, even after the end of the current war against the armed group Hezbollah.

Israel Katz said the area to be occupied would go up to the Litani River – about 30km from the border with Israel. The plan has drawn criticism from the UN, European nations and Canada – who called it “a violation of territorial sovereignty”.

Katz said more than 600,000 displaced Lebanese residents would be “completely prohibited” from returning to that area until the safety of residents of northern Israel was guaranteed. He added that all the houses in Lebanese villages near the Israeli border would be demolished, “according to the model of Rafah and Beit Hanoun in Gaza”.

Brent crude makes highest monthly gain since 1990 Gulf war

The price of Brent crude oil to be delivered in May rose by a record 64% in March – the highest monthly gain since the Gulf war in 1990.

The global benchmark for oil is a contract to buy a barrel of Brent crude one month in the future. When this price rises, it typically pushes up fuel prices too as oil is a key component in its production.

On Wednesday, the price of Brent for June delivery was trading 1.2% higher to $105.36 (£79.61).

Brent’s previous highest monthly gain was in 1990 during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, which disrupted the global supply of energy and sparked fears of a broader Middle East conflict, said Alberto Bellorin from InterCapital Energy.

These conditions mirror those seen in the ongoing conflict with Iran, which has driven up oil prices as markets take account for the heightened geopolitical risk, he said.

Oil prices are likely to continue to rise if shipping flows remain disrupted and if the conflict does not ease, said Goh Jing Rong from the Singapore Management University.

Meanwhile, Asian stock markets jumped this morning after President Donald Trump said the US will leave Iran in “two to three weeks”.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 index gained by 4%, while the Kospi in South Korea rose by more than 6%.

Billion-plus people, three million officials, 33 questions – India begins huge census

The two-phase exercise, billed as the world’s most ambitious of its kind, will see more than three million officials spend a year counting every person in India.

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Does your house have a concrete roof or a thatched one?

What is your main cereal? Do you have internet access – or just a basic mobile phone? And how many married couples live under your roof?

These are among the 33 questions that more than a billion Indians will be asked as the country launches the world’s largest census on Wednesday, marking the first population count in more than 15 years.

The two-phase exercise, billed as the world’s most ambitious of its kind, will see more than three million officials spend a year counting every person in India.

India’s 16th census – the eighth since independence in 1947 – will also include caste data and is seen as crucial for policy, welfare delivery and political representation in the world’s most populous country.

With more than 1.4 billion people, India overtook China in 2023, according to the United Nations Population Fund.

Yet, falling fertility and a median age of 28 mean it remains one of the world’s youngest countries, with nearly 70% of its population of working age.

The last census was held in 2011, with the 2021 round delayed by the pandemic and later pushed back further due to administrative and electoral scheduling – the first time the decennial exercise missed its schedule.

The exercise will span 36 states and federally-administered territories, more than 7,000 sub-districts, over 9,700 towns and nearly 640,000 villages, with fieldwork carried out by enumerators and supervisors – typically schoolteachers, government staff and local officials.

For the first time, the census will be conducted digitally, with enumerators using mobile apps to collect and upload data.

Authorities have introduced self-enumeration, letting residents submit details online via a 16-language portal that generates a unique ID for verification by census workers.

There will be two phases of ⁠physical door-to-door surveys.

The first phase, known as the House Listing and Housing Census, will gather information on housing conditions, amenities and household assets.

The second phase – population enumeration – is scheduled for February 2027 and will collect detailed data on demographics, education, migration and fertility.

It will also include caste enumeration, a politically sensitive issue that has long been debated.

The initial rollout will begin in selected regions, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Mizoram and Odisha.

In these areas, self-enumeration will run from 1 to 15 April, followed by a house listing and housing survey between 16 April and 15 May.

From its origins as a rudimentary headcount under colonial rule, India’s census questionnaire has steadily expanded in scope, mirroring the state’s changing priorities.

The first attempt in 1872 contained 17 questions and was essentially a house register – recording who lived where, along with basic markers such as age, religion, caste and occupation.

By 1881, when the first synchronous nationwide census was conducted, the template had stabilised around identity (name, gender, marital status), social markers (caste, religion, language) and rudimentary education and disability categories.

Over the next decades, questions on language, literacy and occupation were refined, adding secondary work and dependency details.

English proficiency – a colonial preoccupation – was one of 16 questions in the 1901 census.

A shift began with the 1941 census, when its 22-question schedule moved from “who you are” to also “how you live”.

Fertility, employment status, economic dependency, migration and job search entered the frame, signalling a growing administrative focus on economic behaviour.

After independence, this widened further: the 1951 and 1961 rounds incorporated nationality, displacement (in the shadow of Partition), land ownership and more work categories.

From the 1970s onwards, the census took on a distinctly socio-economic lens.

Migration histories, duration of residence, fertility patterns and detailed employment classifications became standard.

In more recent decades, especially in 2001 and 2011, the census has tracked the modernising economy: commuting patterns, marginal versus main work, education attendance and increasingly detailed disability and fertility data.

That evolving lens is now extending to how households themselves are defined. In the latest census, a couple in a live-in relationship can be recorded as married if they consider their “relationship as a stable union” – signalling a quiet shift towards recognising changing social realities.

But as the scope of data collection has widened, so too have concerns around how such information might be used.

Some analysts say recent efforts to build databases – including the National Population Register (NPR) – and intensive revisions of electoral rolls have sharpened public anxieties around official counting, often linking it to questions of citizenship and inclusion.

“Although the census has nothing to do with citizenship, this can create anxiety, prompting some families to over-report or list absent migrant members during the census to avoid any perceived exclusion,” says KS James, an Indian demographer at Princeton University.

Beyond these concerns, there is a more fundamental problem: India has been making policy without a recent population baseline.

In the absence of a fresh census, it has relied on sample surveys – from consumption expenditure to labour force data – with the statistics ministry working to keep them broadly representative.

For economists like Ashwini Deshpande of Ashoka University, the census is essential to update the basic map of India itself – what counts as rural, urban or increasingly peri-urban.

Much of that classification still rests on 2011 data, even though many areas have since transformed, blurring the lines that underpin policy.

“That has real consequences for India’s vast welfare and public spending system,” says Deshpande.

If eligibility for schemes is based on faulty or outdated data, the number of beneficiaries can be misjudged, distorting delivery. Programmes like the nationwide rural jobs guarantee, for instance, depend on an accurate sense of which areas are still “rural” – a category that may have shifted significantly over 15 years.

Without current data, millions of urban migrants – often in informal jobs and housing – remain poorly captured in policy design, a gap laid bare during the pandemic.

“This census is crucial – it is the definitive snapshot of India, capturing everything from caste and religion to jobs, education and amenities, and offering the most complete picture of how the population lives,” says Deshpande.

Megan Thee Stallion taken to hospital during Moulin Rouge performance

The rapper “started feeling very ill” mid-way through the show in New York, her representative said.

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Rapper Megan Thee Stallion had to be taken to hospital mid-way through her performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, in New York on Tuesday night, her representative has confirmed.

“Megan started feeling very ill and was promptly transported to a local hospital, where her symptoms are currently being evaluated,” the spokesperson told US media outlets.

“We will share additional updates as more information becomes available.”

The musician, 31, is performing as Zidler – the show’s eccentric master of ceremonies – marking her highly anticipated Broadway debut.

Her hair stylist, Kellon Deryck, wrote on X: “Everyone say a prayer for Megan, we are all at the hospital.”

Megan Thee Stallion, whose real name is Megan Pete, is scheduled to play Zidler until 17 May, the Moulin Rouge website says. Ahead of her premiere, she expressed excitement for briefly substituting concerts with theatre performances.

‘HOTTIES IM ON BROADWAY!!” she wrote on social media after her first performance on 24 March, referencing her fanbase, called the “hotties”.

Megan Thee Stallion is best-known for hits including Savage, WAP and Body.

In 2021, she won three Grammy awards for Best Rap Song, Best New Artist and Best Rap Performance. The following year she was nominated for Album of the Year.

Harold Zidler was first played by Danny Burstein in the original Broadway cast of Moulin Rouge, and won a coveted Tony award in 2020 for it. More recently, celebrity drag artist Bob the Drag Queen played Zidler in the musical for eight weeks earlier this year.

The BBC has contacted Megan Thee Stallion’s team for comment.