Voting in Hagen urban to continue

 By JAMES GUMUNO

POLLING in the Hagen urban local level government will resume on Monday.

Western Highlands election manager Philip Telape said yesterday voters in many council wards in the Hagen urban electorate did not vote on Wednesday because of disturbances at polling booths.

Telape said all the unused ballot papers from each ward were in his office and they would conduct polling again on Monday.

He said some polling places affected were Tarangau, New Town and Hagen Bakery.

The Mul LLG would also go to the polls on Monday, he said.

Telape said polling in Mul was stopped after criminals blocked the road on Wednesday and attacked officials and destroyed ballot papers and boxes.

The polling officials were on their way to conduct voting when they were attacked.

“As soon as the security personnel engaged in other districts in the province complete their task, I will engage them to provide security in Mul for one day polling on Monday,” Telape said.

He said polling in other districts was progressing slowly but was trouble free.

Telape said every district had received seven ballot boxes after the polling on Wednesday and yesterday and he expected more boxes to return today.

He said polling outside of the city was conducted peacefully and he expected all ballot boxes to be returned safely to the respective districts for counting.

Telape said counting would start when all polls had been completed and boxes returned safely to the respective district headquarters.

Provincial police commander Martin Lakari commended the people for a peaceful election and urged them to maintain the peace.