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{
    "id": 48132,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/48132/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 341,
    "type": "other",
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    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the issue of methods used in data collection is also of utmost importance. Do we use a questionnaire or simply make telephone calls and find out what people are thinking and say that we have conducted a poll? Do we go to the supermarket, wait outside for people and ask them questions as they go in? At the end of the day, the question will be: Is this sample representative enough? To me, that answer must be given by people who are qualified, understand statistics and know how polls are supposed to be conducted so that we can have a fair poll at the end of the day. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, there are others who have no basis whatsoever with regard to scientific methods that are used in opinion polls. I will give you a very good example. If you look at the opinion polls sometimes conducted by the media, you will note that these polls normally have closed-ended questions meaning that the answer is either expected to be a “yes” or a “no”. Yet, it is said this is an opinion poll. We do not know exactly where the people who are texting these answers are from. For example, you may have one person sending about 100 text messages on the same question. You do not even know whether these people who are responding to these questions are even Kenyans. So, these are some of the reasons why we want to make sure that we use proper scientific methods when these polls are being conducted. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, we are aware that the results of an electoral opinion poll influence voters to vote one way or another. That is the reason why credibility is of utmost importance as we move towards making sure that we have proper laws in this country to regulate the opinion polls conducted in Kenya. That is the reason why it is my strong opinion that in order to avoid any Tom, Dick and Harry as well as foreign masters, who may be keen to influence the political agenda in this country for their selfish needs, this House needs to come up with a framework to establish an Opinion Polls Control Board that will regulate the conduct of opinion polls in this country. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I move the Motion and call upon Mr. Mututho to second it."
}