Counting begins

By REBECCA KUKU
THREE persons were confirmed dead and a soldier wounded in Wabag, Enga as counting for the Lagaip supplementary election went ahead yesterday.
Provincial police commander Chief Superintendent George Kakas told The National from Wabag that counting was delayed yesterday morning after supporters of Pangu candidate Amos Akem brought in the body of one of their colleagues to Wabag.
“We dispersed them, as they themselves were the ones who attacked security personnel, wounding one of the soldiers in the arm,” Kakas said.
“During the (confrontation), three of their men were shot. After they left, counting began around 10am. And we were able to complete counting 23 ballot boxes.”
He added that about 40 ballot boxes were returned to the station late yesterday and locked up.
“Counting will resume in the morning (today),” he said.
Kakas assured everyone that members of the security forces had secured Wabag and that he had enough men on the ground to ensure counting was completed by tomorrow.
The return of writ is scheduled for tomorrow.
But Kakas said it could be extended to Monday.
“We are hoping to complete counting by Friday (but) have advised authorities on the ground to extend the deadline for the return of writs to Monday,” he said.
Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai this week reversed his decision to move the counting to Goroka in Eastern Highlands, and decided to hold it in Wabag instead.
In a letter dated Nov 14, Sinai instructed Lagaip Returning Officer Newman Wailyo to facilitate the counting and scrutiny process for the Lagaip supplementary election in Wabag.
The decision led to a fight between candidates’ supporters in Wabag on Tuesday that saw one man killed and four homes burnt down.
Supporters of a candidate who opposed the decision to have the counting done in Wabag burnt down the houses and shot dead one man.
Meanwhile, after Count 23 late yesterday, United Resource Party candidate Tomait Kapili was in the lead.