Census: A Tool For Gerrymandering

 "The Mid-Term Census is a Tool for Gerrymandering Before the Next Elections."

REPUBLISHED!!

By: Musa Kamara

"The Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (COPPP) notes with concern the decision of the Government to proceed with the mid-term census in spite of the numerous issues surrounding the project." 

In their press statement issued today, Friday 10th December, 2021 on the government's proposed census, the Consortium of Progressive Political Parties (CoPPP) stated that, the aims and plans of the Bio-led Government is to create more constituencies and districts in predominantly SLPP strongholds. "The mad rush by Government to conclude this census reveals why this census is so important to them: in our view, the mid-term census is a tool to be used for gerrymandering before the next elections," the release stated.

CoPPP reminded the public and the government on the reasons why the World Bank decided to withdraw from the mid-term census, saying, "their reason for doing so is very clear." The press statement went further by stating that, "from the very start, COPPP has been warning against the Government’s apparent haste to conduct this mid-term census at all costs. The World Bank has made it clear that very critical actions of a technical nature which should have preceded the start of the census were not taken and this has increased the risk of inadequate and poor quality data."

According to CoPPP, the country has never been so divided over a census, and that, there have been violent confrontations and protest in Parliament, protests in local councils, protest by political parties, all clearly indicating that, the climate is not conducive for the conduct of a census. "Yet, the government is bent on going ahead to count."

The Consortium said, they would like to inform the public that Government's insistence on counting with this census against all odds may end up being one of the "most wasteful enterprises in recent times."

The press statement also shed light on the invitation of political parties leaders by the Sierra Leone Police. "But nothing, not even the probability of failure, can make this Government stop and think."

The Consortium stated that, the huge amounts of money being spent on a census that experts have already projected to be a failure due to technical inadequacies could have been used for other urgent necessities, such as hospital equipment and consumables.

The Consortium in their press statement, cited reasons why their "position remains unchanged about this mid-term census." Among them is "Considering the level of controversy that the census project has caused and the divisions it has created in society, the situation is not appropriate for the conduct of a census that requires maximum cooperation from all citizens." This and many other reasons cited in their press statement are what led to their decision to maintain their stance against the mid-term census. 

"We reiterate that, this mid-term census is not good for our country at this time," the press statement ended. 

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