Judicial recount for Kandep, Hela to cost K7.5mil: EC

THE Electoral Commission has clarified that the judicial recounts for the Kandep open seat in Enga and the Hela provincial seat will cost around K7.5 million.
The commission clarified a report in The National yesterday which said the recount was expected to cost around K16.45 million.
Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato, pictured, said the report was incorrect and misleading.
“The amount (K16.45 million) is the total cost of all the eight judicial recounts that were ordered by the Court of Disputed Returns after the 2017 national election,” he said.
“Budget for Kandep open judicial recount is around K3 million, Hela provincial seat is around K4.5 million so its K7.5 million and not K16.45 million.”
Gamato said the budget of K16.45 million included K900,000 for the recount of Central Bougainville, K900,000 for Samarai-Murua open in Milne Bay, K650,000 for Sohe open in Northern, an estimated K1.5million for the Goroka open seat in the Eastern Highlands, K2.5million for West Sepik provincial, K2.5 million for Chimbu provincial, an estimated K4.5 million for Hela provincial and K3 million for Kandep open.