Staff Reporter
THE Namibian Police Force (NamPol) has issued a stern warning to would-be criminals who may attempt to exploit the national census activities for criminal purposes.
The Namibian Police Force, in collaboration with other partners and stakeholders, will conduct robust policing operations nationwide during the national census. Major General Elias Mutota, the Deputy Inspector General for Operations of the Namibian police, made this announcement during a press briefing held on 19 September 2023 in the capital. In accordance with the Namibian Police Force’s mandate, the police are obligated to ensure safety, security, and the maintenance of law and order during this census.
“I am appealing to all members of the public to cooperate with and assist the census enumerators during this period. Many individuals fall victim to criminal activities because some criminals impersonate or pretend to be census enumerators or police officers. This is a period when many people are vulnerable to becoming victims of criminal activities. Most of these criminal activities can be prevented if people pay careful attention to their surroundings and take active precautions to prevent various crimes from occurring,” Mutota emphasized.
Also speaking at the event, the Statistician General of the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), Alex Shimuafeni, warned that unreasonably refusing to provide information to census enumerators constitutes a crime. “By law, the information is confidential, anonymized, and encrypted to ensure its confidentiality. Therefore, please ensure you play your part and get counted,” Shimuafeni urged. He added that individuals found guilty of unreasonably refusing to provide information could face a fine of N$50,000 or a maximum of 5 years imprisonment, or both.
Shimuafeni also stressed the importance of understanding who will be counted. “For clarity, every person within Namibia’s borders at midnight on 24th September 2023, known as the Census Reference Night (CRN), regardless of nationality, age, or social status, will be counted. This includes newborn babies, the elderly, and all individuals, whether Namibian nationals or non-nationals. Those outside Namibia on 24th September 2023 will not be included in the population count. This is because a census always has a reference point, the reference night, to which collected statistics are tied,” Shimuafeni explained. He further added that census enumerators, when visiting households, will administer a questionnaire to collect information from the head of the household or any other adult. Enumerators will present their ID card, letter of authorization, and Census ID upon arrival and will be easily identifiable.
The census will gather information such as the country’s population size, residential locations, age distribution, gender, spoken languages, and educational backgrounds. Other questions pertain to the living conditions and households of individuals residing in Namibia.
Leave a Reply