Some Malawians of Asian origin deny to grant interviews with census enumerators
Some National Statistical Office (NSO) enumerators in the Population and Housing Census (PHC) underway have expressed concern over unwillingness by some Malawian residents of Asian origin to participate in the exercise.
One enumerator in Mzuzu who opted for anonymity said some of the residents refuse to be interviewed.
“I was denied access to some residences of residents of Asian origin and I was ordered to immediately leave the premises despite having introduced myself and what I was there for,” the enumerator explained.
The Enumerator added that some of the residents were removing marks on door frames which indicate that a particular household has been enumerated.
Therefore, the enumerator proposed that NSO should scale up sensitization on the on-going PHC exercise to ensure that people cooperate and provide the necessary data to them.
“One other way of creating mass awareness could be corroborating with mobile phone service providers to be sending PHC related messages to all subscribers,” the source said.
When contacted, NSO spokesperson Kingsley Manda said the stated challenges were registered in Blantyre and Lilongwe despite his office having conducted wide public awareness on the exercise.
He said most Malawians and residents of Asian origin are cooperative and accept to be interviewed by the enumerators.
“These people are aware of the 2018 PHC, as we sensitized them through their leaders and Mosques. So we are sure that they are aware of the exercise,” Manda noted.
He said in cases where enumerators are denied interview, enumerators’ supervisors make follow-ups and issues end up being resolved for the continuation of the exercise.
Manda was quick to say that it should not take the involvement of the supervisors to address such cases as enumerators are entrusted with such responsibilities.
“They have nothing to fear as the information which is being collected is neither sensitive nor too personal.
“For example, the data collected among others is about their occupation, what type of business they have and types of disabilities one may have,” he pointed out.
Manda said the exercise is very important for the development of the country, hence the need for everyone to be counted.
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Use the military police as undercover officers to all premises of Asians. The enumerators will uncover more Asians that are living illegally in Malawi.
They are hiding Al-Qaeda fugitives. And a two bedroomed house may keep up to 50 Indians! Eish!
They came to Malawi illegally, they fear to be exposed. The doing business illegally. They are keeping illegal immigrants. they fear the outcome of the census will expose many things, hence their fear…there many things they are hiding
These NSO people turn up with no ID, thinking they have the right to enter your property. Visit people with ID and maybe you will be treated differently. Every time there is an NSO survey thieves use it as an excuse to enter people’s homes, you can’t blame people for being cautious about letting an unknown person into their property on the basis of a Mickey Mouse Survey that has not provided its staff with proper identification.