GE22 is a mess: MP

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IALIBU-Pangia MP Peter O’Neill says the General Election 2022 (GE22) has been a shambles, with lives lost and properties destroyed.
He also questioned why Police Commissioner David Manning was lodging a complaint with the Electoral Commissioner that some ballot boxes from the Kuare local level government should not be counted.
“The commissioner (Manning) in a letter to the Electoral Commissioner (Simon Sinai) states that he is acting on a complaint from Pangu Pati candidate Stanley Liria, and drops the name of Prime Minister (James Marape), the leader of the Pangu Pati,” O’Neill said in a statement.
“It would seem very clear to any reasonable person that this letter from the police commissioner is nothing more than a veil for the Pangu Pati and is biased and designed only to interfere in what has been a peaceful and properly conducted polling and counting so far in Ialibu-Pangia.
“It is difficult for the Pangu Pati to accept that after the reported K20 million spent during the campaign by their candidate (Liria) to secure the Ialibu-Pangia electorate, that the people of Ialibu Pangia are not so easily swayed.”
O’Neill urged Manning to focus instead on his job as police commissioner and address the election-related violence.
“Enga has been at war for a week and Mutzing and Kabwum counting venues have been burned to the ground,” O’Neill said.
He also urged Electoral Commissioner Sinai “not to be daunted by (such) ridiculous claims”.
No comments could be obtained from Manning or Sinai yesterday on O’Neill’s statement.


Counting stopped for LLG’s boxes

COUNTING of votes from the Kuare local level government in Ialibu-Pangia, Southern Highlands, was suspended yesterday while officials tried to reconcile figures at the Momei Oval counting centre in Mendi.
The presiding officers and their assistants were told to reconcile the figures from their returns (journals) before counting could resume today.
Counting continued for Ialibu Urban, East Pangia, Kewabi and Last Wiru local level governments (LLGs).
Ten boxes from the Kuare LLG had to be put aside after scrutineers alleged they were disputed boxes. The 10 disputed boxes were from the 17 boxes allocated to the LLG – 10 boxes in Ialibu-Pangia and seven in Kagua-Erave. The LLG is on the border of the two electorates.
Returning Officer Ronald Rambu authorised the counting to go ahead before the discrepancy emerged.
Rambu said the candidates and their scrutineers had been advised to obtain a court order last Wednesday. But after five days, no order was forthcoming. He ordered to go ahead with the counting.
“As the returning officer, I do not have the authority to stop the counting,” he said.
“Only a court order can stop it.”
“Some powers of returning officers were withdrawn by the Electoral Commission (EC).
“The issue raised has been forwarded to the EC.
“I am taking note of the queries raised by the scrutineers.”


Kalaut urges police to stick to constitutional duties

POLICE must remain neutral throughout the General Election 2022 and focus only on their constitutional duties, a former senior police officer says.
Former Assistant Commissioner of Police Sylvester Kalaut said police officers must not interfere with the work of the Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai by attempting to stop the counting of the ballot papers. Kalaut was responding to a letter dated July 17 allegedly by Police Commissioner David Manning addressed to Sinai, stating that police had received a complaint about the hijacking of polling and election fraud in the Kuare local level government of Ialibu-Pangia, Southern Highlands.
The complainant was lodged with police by Pangu Pati candidate for the Ialibu-Pangia Open seat Stanley Liria. In the letter, Manning told Sinai to ensure that the ballot papers from Kuare were not counted.
Kalaut said Manning and members of the constabulary should perform their duties without fear, favour or malice as per the police code of ethics.
“It is a critical time in every general election,” he said.
“As constitutional office holders, let’s not interfere. Police are there to provide security (only).
“Stopping the counting or anything to do with election is to be done by the Electoral Commissioner (Sinai).”
Kalaut, however, commended Manning and members of the police force for ensuring that the national event was conducted safely in most parts of the country.