Erasmus Shalihaxwe
The recent Afrobarometer survey, which predicted the outcome of the November Presidential and National Assembly elections, has faced criticism for its “hogwash” results as more Namibians question its legitimacy.
The survey, conducted in March and April of this year, was released last week and suggests that Swapo’s presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, will win the November polls with 50.8% of the votes.
Landless People’s Movement leader, Bernadus Swartbooi is projected to take second place with 5.6% of the votes.
According to the survey, the Popular Democratic Movement candidate, McHenry Venaani, will be in third place in the race with 4.9% of the votes, while the Independent Patriots for Change candidate, Panduleni Itula, will be in fourth place on the list with 5% of the votes. The candidate from the National Unity Democratic Organisation will be last with 3.1% of the votes.
Retired diplomat, Ambassador Pius Dunaisk dismissed the survey results, calling for an investigation into the poll agency’s collaboration with an American university.
“The Afrobarometer as an African poll agency lost all its legitimacy altogether. To predict that the Nudo President is in close range to Itula robbed them of all their credibility. An investigation of the poll agency working with an American university is now most needed. We should demand the personalities involved in the poll and their links to Swapo. Their survey is clearly deeply flawed and ridiculous. The whole thing stinks of sheer propaganda,” said Dunaiski.
Without mentioning the party, the diplomat said that the corrupting political mafia is hard at work and deception has been normalised in Namibia.
“Who conducted the Namibian poll? This abuse makes the need for all to vote greater to humiliate evil and dirty tricks by empty power junkies,” said Dunaiski.
The survey indicates that a number of voters are still not sure or unwilling to disclose their preferred political parties. Of these, 9,2% refused to entertain the question, 7,4% said they would not participate in the voting process, and 6,9% indicated that they did not know.
Last week, official opposition leader Venaani was quoted in The Namibian newspaper calling the survey a hogwash, with no credibility as it does not speak to the real figures of the country.
“It doesn’t represent political reality. It’s just hogwash and utter misplacement of what ought to be surveyed. This survey is off the mark. Statistics and lies,” said Venaani.
