Some people are targeting to steal tablets from enumerators, laments PS

LUSAKA Province Permanent Secretary Robert Kamalata has lamented that some people are targeting enumerators with the intention of stealing their tablets.

And Kamalata has regretted that some foreign nationals are unleashing dogs on enumerators in order to chase them from their premises.

During a media briefing, Monday, Kamalata, however, informed individuals eyeing the tablets that they can’t function elsewhere because of how they were programmed.

“The other problem that we are having which is a crucial one, I don’t know how I can even term it, there are certain people that have started targeting our enumerators, they are collecting the bags and in those bags what they are interested in are the tablets. Those tablets that we are using to count people and enumerate are the ones that they are targeting and so far we have such incidences whereby some tablets have been grabbed by certain individuals for reasons known to themselves. Now we wish to tell the people that we are aware of what is happening and so far so good security [personnel] have been informed and they are on the ground. And should you be found wanting, you will be answerable,” he said.

“But then, by and large, we want to state that these people that are getting these tablets regardless of how a genius you are, they are not going to work anywhere. They are formatted in a way that they are attached to our dashboards that we are having at Zamstats headquarters.”

Kamalata said in areas like Chibolya and Kanyama, government had engaged “foot soldiers” to escort the enumerators.

“We concentrated in areas we thought we were going to have a lot of problems, and places such as Chibolya and Kanyama what we did in the interim was to use what we are calling foot soldiers and we are using the councillors who have identified, in brackets, commanders. So there are certain people they call commanders in these areas that are really cooperating with us and these are people who have been going round with our enumerators. As you can see, just in here we are having a police officer there, so these are people that are in charge of security. So what we have done is they are on standby in areas where we expect to have a lot of problems,” he said.

And Kamalata regretted that some foreign nationals were unleashing dogs on enumerators.

“And there is also disturbing information that has reached us that certain nationalities are even unleashing dogs to our enumerators to chase them away from their premises, which is very unfortunate. You know this is a country of laws like any other country. When you are in this country, you must abide and adhere to the laws of the country. Support us, and if you are an investor, support the system of the country you are operating from. It is very unfortunate that when they come to you they are coming in a good way and all you do is just to go inside, you release the dogs so that they can harm our enumerators. It is very unfortunate,” he said.

Kamalata revealed that some foreign nationals had gone into hiding after being fed with false information that they would be arrested or deported if counted.

“There are places where we have our colleagues from outside the country, places like Kanyama, or let me say everywhere dotted around the city. We have colleagues from Burundi, Rwanda, hope you know what I am talking about. There are people that are going to tell them that ‘when you see these people, actually they are coming to arrest you’. So the time when we started enumerating in the city, most of their shops have been closed because they have been given this information which is not true. They are being told that ‘these people are coming to count [you] so that they know your status, maybe you are illegal in the country. So when they have that information, you are going to be deported’. So most of them have even gone into hiding,” he said.

“Please let’s help the government, that is not true information. And if these people are legally in the country, there is also a segment in which they are being counted. And it is a small exercise, for them, they will just answer certain questions and we go ahead. Everyone is supposed to be counted in the country.”

Kamalata said areas where the government had anticipated having problems like Chibolya were actually more cooperative compared to some low residential areas.

“We have not recorded incidences in places we anticipated [we] would have problems. Even earlier on, one time I had an interview, someone was concerned with Chibolya to be specific, but I wish to tell you that places where we anticipated these problems are cooperating to an extent that we are even numerating most of the people without any problems. They are really cooperating with enumerators and they are doing their work smoothly. But places where we anticipated that we are going to have a smooth run in them, unfortunately, those are the areas where we are having a lot of problems. We have observed that some of the residents in areas such as Kamwala are not willing to give information to enumerators,” he said.

“People in Kamwala and places like low residential areas like Independence Avenue, Kabulonga, such places, they are not cooperating with enumerators. We don’t know the reason why they are not giving information to enumerators [and] this is despite a lot of sensitisation programmes that we carried out in these areas. Now my appeal to the residents of Lusaka especially, in the areas I talked about, that is Kamwala, Independence Avenue – in short low residential areas, please you are actually the people that are supposed to help us have this exercise run smoothly, attend to the enumerators.”

Kamalata noted that one of the challenges being experienced during the census exercise was that some people left their houses early and only returned at night.

“The other problem that we are encountering when we are in the fields is that some of the households, people leave early in the morning, as early [as] six in the morning and they only return after 20 [hours] and by then our enumerators have knocked off. So we are having difficulties, people have gone there three [or] four times, it’s like the routine is the same. They have even tried to go there during weekends to no avail. So this has also become a problem on our part,” he said.

Kamalata, however, said the census was progressing well in Lusaka.

“I wish to inform you that in the province, the census of population and housing is going on well in most parts of the province as issues regarding the payment of enumerators and supervisors have been resolved. Those that have not received their monies, it is probably due to the fact that they have got issues with their bank accounts or the banks where they are saving with. But as far as we are concerned, government released the monies and everyone that is in our database in the province received the money,” said Kamalata.

Meanwhile, Lusaka Province census officer Dr Kennedy Chiimpa said so far, two enumerators had been attacked by those intending to steal tablets in the province.

“So far, we have received two cases of those people who have been attacked. And right now after the press briefing we are going there to see and engage the person who is actually involved. With me here, I came with the enumerators and the supervisors who were actually attacked by the dogs,” said Dr Chiimpa.