Renowned lawyer Khumbo Soko has delivered a scathing critique of the latest Institute of Public Opinion and Research (IPOR) survey, casting serious doubt on its credibility and methodology. The survey, released this week, controversially placed former president Joyce Banda at just 2 percent in voter intentions and claimed that four out of every ten respondents did not even recognise her.
Khumbo Soko
Reacting to the findings, Soko questioned whether such results could be taken seriously in a country where Banda once occupied the highest office in the land.
“So, according to these researchers, when asked whether they recognised Joyce Banda, 4 out of every 10 people asked said they did not recognise her. Is this something you believe? Where did they get these respondents? Ku tarven kapena? And how old were these people? Were they adults when JB was President or anabadwa mu 2014?” he wrote.
Soko argued that if, indeed, adults of voting age made up the respondents, then the figures pointed to a deeper crisis in the electorate’s political awareness.
“If these are real adult respondents, then God help us all. We have too many imbeciles who will be voting,” he bluntly stated.
The lawyer’s remarks reflect growing unease in political and academic circles over the reliability of opinion polls ahead of the September 16 general elections. While some analysts regard surveys like IPOR’s as useful in tracking momentum and gauging public sentiment, Soko dismissed them as flawed snapshots that cannot substitute the real test at the ballot box.
“Tiyeni tikabvote cabe pa 16. That’s the most important poll,” he concluded.
The IPOR survey has already triggered heated debate across social and political platforms, with critics accusing it of misrepresenting realities on the ground, while defenders argue it provides valuable insights into shifting voter dynamics.
What remains clear is that with less than two weeks to polling day, the contest over numbers is fast becoming as fierce as the battle for votes itself.
