Namibian Police Force (NamPol) Deputy Inspector General for Operations, Major General Elias Mutota, has said police visibility will be the focus during the Namibia 2023 Population and Housing Census period.
Mutota also called upon the public to aid enumerators during the census period, while cautioning criminals to be wary of law enforcement.
Speaking at a press briefing in Windhoek on Tuesday, Mutota observed that many individuals are likely to become targets of criminal activities during the census.
“Many people fall victim to criminal activities due to certain criminals who impersonate census enumerators or police officers. This is a period during which many people are vulnerable to becoming victims of criminal activities,” he said.
Mutota mentioned that the police, along with other stakeholders such as the Windhoek City Police and the National Statistics Agency (NSA), will carry out a comprehensive policing operation nationwide during the census period.
“To criminals and potential wrongdoers, be warned that NamPol will not tolerate criminal conduct towards the public, and we are committed to taking the fight to your doorsteps,” he cautioned.
Also addressing the media at the same event, NSA Chief Executive Officer and Statistician-General, Alex Shimuafeni, said the NSA has coordinated with the police to ensure the success of the national census.
“Safeguarding enumerators, households and all Namibians during the census period is imperative. We would like to advise those with criminal intentions to refrain from such activities, as they will face the full force of the law,” Shimuafeni said.
Approximately 13 000 enumerators will cover the entire country to enumerate the population of Namibia. The census process commenced on Monday with the property listing throughout the country. Enumerators will carry tablets to collect data, which Shimuafeni stated is pointless for criminal elements to steal.
“If you are not a census worker, the tablets will be of no use to you because they are designed for data collection. They are not meant for entertainment, and they are encrypted. So, there is hardly anything you can do with them. I also know that the Namibian police are very effective at tracking cell phones. I don’t think you want to put yourself in a situation where you possess something almost worthless to you, but incriminate yourself in the process,” he stated.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency