They may shoot us – Oshikoto census workers

Census 2023 enumerators in the Oshikoto region are facing a hard time in carrying out their duties, with some communal farmers locking their farm gates and some residents resisting to be counted.

The Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA) regional manager for the Oshikoto region, Thomas Emvula, says although the counting process is progressing, enumerators are faced with challenges.

“We have communal farmers who do not want to be counted. Their farm gates are locked and we cannot enter without their permission, because they may shoot us, thinking we are poachers or something.

“It is hard when people are trying by all means to make our work difficult, because we have a mandate we need to carry out,” he says.

Earlier this week, the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) has condemned any form of harassment and non-collaboration with census enumerators, particularly on farms.

NAU spokesperson Tanja Dahl said the organisation has urged its members to cooperate with enumerators and to report any incidents of harassment as a matter of urgency.

“Such behaviour goes against the principles of professionalism and respect that the NAU upholds in the execution of its duties,” she said.
Dahl said the union is in regular contact with its members as well as with the NSA so that matters can be addressed and resolved swiftly when they arise.

RESISTANCE

Emvula says: “We have had some people who were resisting to be counted at Onayena some days ago, and we tried to call in the police to assist us, but they still refused, until we went on to seek for further assistance from the Onayena contituency councillor and the village headman. Only then they cooperated with us.”

He says many people are resisting to be counted for various reasons, such as political affiliations and a lack of employment among young people.

“We also had difficulties enumarating schoolgoing children, because some were still on holiday or absent from schools. However, we have managed to count all the schools in the region so far, and we are only left with government ministeries and agencies and some hospitals.

“Another issue we are battling is enumerating the anti-poachers in the Etosha National Park, which includes police officers and soldiers.

“We are unable to enumerate them at the moment, because there are some points we are not allowed to enter for security reasons, and our enumarators cannot go around the park looking for them because there are wild animals and security measures put in place to be respected and followed by everyone,” Emvula says.

He says the Onayena constitituency has a high count, with 83%, and the constituency with the lowest count is Tsintsabis, with 63%.

NSA spokesperson Iipumbu Sakaria says the law requires that everyone in Namibia take part in the census, and refusing unnecessarily could lead to a heavy fine, imprisonment, or both.

“Anyone who refuses to be counted can be fined an amount of N$50 000, or five years’ imprisonment, or both, but before we fine them, we go through all the structures in place to make sure we comply with the law.

“People should cooperate with the census enumerators. It only takes a few minutes to be counted, and it only happens every 10 years.

“It is also law that everyone must be counted. I really do not know why some people are being difficult for no reason,” he says.

The 2023 Population and Housing Census officially started on 24 September and will conclude on 3 November.