EDITORIAL: More questions than answers on census data
For the first time since questions arose about the reliability of the census report recently released by the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), statistician general Alex Shimuafeni yesterday conceded that there might have been some “oversight” in aspects of this crucial national exercise.
He was responding specifically to why white Namibians were not separated into their respective ethnicities like other tribes in the country after they were simply branded as ‘white’.
White Namibians are not a homogeneous group. They differ in their cultural, social and even economic conditions and cannot simply be lumped together like sardines in a can.
By its very nature, the census is intended to give government and other interested parties crucial baseline data about the population's demographic, social and economic traits.
With this, we are able to create and oversee national development plans, allocate funds, revise administrative and electoral boundaries and identify social infrastructure needs like hospitals and schools.
Apart from white demographics, member of parliament Paulus Mbangu last week also raised pertinent questions about the fact that Kapako constituency, which is predominantly inhabited by the Mbunza people, has a population of 27 800 people, yet this census states that the Mbunza population nationwide only stands at 5 000 individuals. This is what Mark Twain would describe as "lies, damned lies, and statistics".
We hope the NSA will provide professional – instead of political – clarifications to restore the public’s trust in both the data and the institution itself.
The census is conducted only once every ten years, and we can ill afford to rely on flawed information for an entire decade when planning development.
He was responding specifically to why white Namibians were not separated into their respective ethnicities like other tribes in the country after they were simply branded as ‘white’.
White Namibians are not a homogeneous group. They differ in their cultural, social and even economic conditions and cannot simply be lumped together like sardines in a can.
By its very nature, the census is intended to give government and other interested parties crucial baseline data about the population's demographic, social and economic traits.
With this, we are able to create and oversee national development plans, allocate funds, revise administrative and electoral boundaries and identify social infrastructure needs like hospitals and schools.
Apart from white demographics, member of parliament Paulus Mbangu last week also raised pertinent questions about the fact that Kapako constituency, which is predominantly inhabited by the Mbunza people, has a population of 27 800 people, yet this census states that the Mbunza population nationwide only stands at 5 000 individuals. This is what Mark Twain would describe as "lies, damned lies, and statistics".
We hope the NSA will provide professional – instead of political – clarifications to restore the public’s trust in both the data and the institution itself.
The census is conducted only once every ten years, and we can ill afford to rely on flawed information for an entire decade when planning development.
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