Hagen court declares fresh election for South Wiru LLG

By JAMES APA GUMUNO
THE National Court in Mt Hagen has declared as null and void the election of Joseph Kunukune as president of the South Wiru local level government in Southern Highlands province.
Justice Colin Makail has ordered a fresh election.
The court found that Kunukunu’s election was done without following due process, as provided in the standing orders of the South Wiru local level government in the Ialibu-Pangia district.
The court found that Kunukunu was illegally voted in as president on Aug 5, 2008.
Kunukunu not only loses his seat as president but loses his membership of the provincial assembly and his portfolio of chairman of works and transport.
Both Kunukunu and former president and deputy governor Wombi Nondi claimed that in 2008 they were both elected president in two separate meetings chaired by deputy administrator Ialibu-Pangia Jack Tulia and deputy provincial administrator Stoney Kumalo respectively.
The court found that at the two meetings, standing orders were breached and declared their elections null and void.
Justice Makail said he was not satisfied that Kunukunu and Nondi had established each of their cases.
He said in each case, serious breaches of the laws in relation to non-use of standing orders and authority of the chairman of the meeting had occurred.
He said neither of them was entitled to be declared president.
He said the breach in the election must be rectified forthwith and a fresh election conducted.
Nondi, who successfully challenged the matter in court, said he was pleased with the decision.