Mesn for surveys regulation
The Malawi Electoral Support Network (Mesn) has recommended that in future research into people’s perception of who would carry the day in elections should be done by consortiums of regulated institutions with a track record to avoid misleading voters.
Mesn board chairperson Steven Duwa’s proposal comes against the backdrop of the latest survey conducted by Research Tech Consultants, which gave incumbent President Joyce Banda a marginal lead against other contenders such as Malawi Congress Party (MCP) candidate Lazarus Chakwera, Peter Mutharika of Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and Atupele Muluzi of United Democratic Front (UDF).
Two other previous polls from the Economist Intelligence Unit and one conducted by online news outlet Nyasa Times also tipped Banda to win with a slight lead.
But Duwa said Malawi did not have credible organisations to conduct such polls and even the motive of credible ones would be suspect.
Various quarters have questioned the credibility of Research Tech Consultants whose origins and track record locally and internationally could not be traced despite the lead consultant in the organisation, Thomas Odala, claiming it was based in Lilongwe and India.
“It would be better for integrity’s sake to have neutral bodies facilitate such polls and honestly give out the results. Just as organisations came together to organise presidential debates, I would recommend that such opinion polls be done through such consortiums,” said Duwa.
He said Mesn was of the opinion that the latest opinion polls were mere machinations of Banda’s People’s Party (PP) to rebuild their image destroyed by the revelation of theft and plunder of public resources dubbed Cashgate, the dubious sale of the presidential jet and declining socio-economic conditions in the country.
Meanwhile, there are reports that the Africa-wide research project, Afrobarometer, is on the ground carrying out a survey on the outcome of elections.
It was the Afrobarometer round five survey of 2012 which found that 46 percent of voters would have voted for Banda if elections were held in June 2012 at a time when she had been in office for less than three months.
What I found bewildering was that you guys,a well respected newspaper, could actually parade that as story, let alone as a front page leading article. Not that it was about JB carrying the day or not, but please! In this world of an array of technologies, I mean you couldn’t within a minute search for who this Odalla chap or firm is? What baffles me further is: Was the story vetted at all? I have worked in the newsroom before and a front pager is no joking matter, it is what thousands of Malawians will have as their “breakfast” but with that, mmmm. I think Skyway University would offer better Research Methods courses that what I read in that article! Sampling! Design etc. Lord have mercy! and yet it was deemed “fit to be in the starting line up” for the Nation readers in Malawi and across the globe. Very sad for the “Independent press”
Stupid MESN, where were you when other pinion polls were being conducted in the past months? Is it just because the polls do not favour your favourite candidate? You idiots