Kandep awaits reinforcements

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By REBECCA KUKU
COUNTING in Wabag will resume once security reinforcements are sent to the area, Police Commissioner Gari Baki, pictured, says.
He said now that counting has been completed in some parts of Enga, police would focus on the troubled area of Wabag town, where counting for the Kandep open seat is being conducted.
“The situation in the area is like a nightmare in the sense that you don’t expect things to go the way you planned,” he said on the FM100 Talkback show yesterday.
“We haven’t really progressed much.
“There have been a lot of inconsistencies with decisions made by the electoral officers, while security issues with the sitting MP and rival candidates’ camps fighting have been dragging on. That has affected the security operations on the ground and the counting as well.”
Baki said they would have to assess the risks following the killing of two police officers in Wabag recently before sending in more personnel.
“We do not want to lose any more lives, either of the security forces or the general public,” he said.
“Assistant Commissioner DavidManning is already on the ground.
“He is getting things ready for us so we can go in and assess the situation.
“From our assessment of the situation on the ground, we can then draw up strategic plans for mobilisation before we deploy reinforcements.
“This is so we can to secure the area before the elimination for the Kandep seat can continue.
“But all these depend on the assessment .”
Baki said he could not give an exact time when the elimination would start as it depended on assessments and how soon they could deploy manpower.
Kandep is one of five remaining seats yet to be declared and will not be represented in the first parliament sitting today.