Locals protest against alleged inflated figures

By JEFFREY ELAPA
HUNDREDS of people in the Imbonggu electorate, Southern Highlands staged a peaceful protest march yesterday taking authorities by surprise.
They alleged that there were irregularities in the counting of votes after the ballot box for Piambi One, containing more than 3,600 ballot papers were counted.
A similar dispute was registered for the Piambi Two boxes which contained another 3,200 votes.
Provincial election steering committee chairman Dr Bravy Koensong assured the protestors that the remaining disputed boxes would be set aside until the electoral commission gave its clearance.
The protesters claimed that the numbers were inflated by a candidate as there were only 2,500 people living there in isolated hamlets. It recorded 1,765 people in Piambil One and 1,800 people in the 2007 general election.
The protestors further claimed that the ballot boxes were taken to the village at 4am before officials were sent with security officers in a helicopter.
They claimed that the returning officer Jeffrey Pauawe had said on June 25 that the two boxes should not be counted as there were irregularities in the manner in which they were taken out early.
After the boxes were counted, the candidate was leading with more than 3,000 votes.
 after he had been trailing other candidates.