Residents of Nakonde District in Muchinga Province have been urged to cooperate with the census enumerators as they conduct the exercise.
Nakonde District Commissioner, Marvelous Sikapizye, said it is important that people give factual information when they are being interviewed.
Mr. Sikapizye, who was speaking in an interview with the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) in Nakonde today, stated that providing accurate statistics will give a clear picture of the district.
“Those people that are passing through your homes, please give them the right information because when you cheat them, do not think that you are cheating them, you are cheating yourself. Give them the right information so that the government can have the right information from our homes,” he said.
He also appealed to enumerators to work hard and ensure that they correctly capture each and every household in the border town.
“You know people differ, we have different beliefs and opinions. So even as you go round collecting data, please try to reason with the different people that you will meet so that you can have the truth at the end of the day,” he said.
Meanwhile, one of the Nakonde residents, Thandiwe Banda, complained that most residents have resorted to reserving information because some of the questions being asked are inappropriate.
“How can they be asking if I sleep on the floor or not. I feel they should concentrate on just counting people. Also, questions about my future plans were really unnecessary,” she said.
She further pointed out that the organizers should consider reducing the number of questions in order to serve time for both parties.
“Some questions are pointless. So does it mean if they find out I do not have a wheelbarrow they will provide one for me? The people responsible for conducting the census need to recheck some of the questions honestly,” she said.
