Be counted or pay P50,000

District commissioners across the country have been requested by Statistics Botswana to step in and save the day as some members of the public refuse to be counted.

Those who refuse to be counted could pay up to P50,000 and have since been cautioned. From now onwards, the district commissioners in their respective districts would be specifically visiting people who have refused to be enumerated to facilitate their enumeration.

This follows the concern by Statistic Botswana that some people refused to be enumerated or answer some questions during the enumeration process. It is alleged that some members of the community refused to be counted accusing census enumeration teams of wasting their time while some are reported to have refused to open their gates. It is rumoured that some members of the public have told census enumeration teams that they are not interested in being counted.

In a media release, Statistics Botswana advised and cautioned members of the public to ‘kindly cooperate’ with the district commissioners and census enumeration teams.

Statistics Botswana further stated that refusing to be counted is an offence under the Statistics Act of 2009, which carries a punishment of a fine of P50,000 or imprisonment of a term not exceeding five years or both.

Further, “those who refuse to answer any questions are also advised that this is an offence, which carries a punishment, a fine of P10,000 or imprisonment of a term not exceeding one year or both.

The public is reminded that the census enumeration mop-up phase closes on April 13, 2022,” reads the media release.

The 2022 population and housing census was supposed to end on March 31 and was extended by four days to end on April 4. Currently, the enumeration is on its nine days mop-up phase to wrap up on April 13 to allow those who have refused to be counted a second chance to be enumerated.

“The public is reminded that the census enumeration mop-up phase closes on April 13, 2022,” reads the media

release.