Pato picks God in re-election bid

FOREIGN Affairs and Immigration Minister Rimbink Pato has put God first in his re-election bid and asked his Wapenamanda people to consider the district’s ongoing development boom when casting their votes.
The United Party leader signed his nomination on Wednesday in front of a large crowd at the Wapenamanda district office in Enga.
Pato appealed to his people after his nomination to observe peace, respect, humility and understanding among all people in Wapenamanda.
Prior to the nomination, the leader and his 2000-plus supporters paid their respects to a community leader and supporter of a candidate who collapsed and died on Tuesday afternoon during a nomination ceremony.
Pato thanked his family members, relatives, and community and church leaders for supporting him during the past five years.
He paid special tribute to the chief executive officer of the Wapenamanda District Development Authority Simeon Wais and his officers for their hard work in delivering and implementing development projects and services to the people.
“You have delivered to all the four corners of Wapenamanda, including Lower and Middle Lai and Minamb and Tsak valleys,” he said.
“Real work was done through the budget between 2014 and 2017 in which we have seen so much development under my administration.”
Pato said impact projects had been delivered in all sectors of development and highlighted a few like the construction of the National Court house and judge’s accommodation, investment in Correctional Services establishments, the construction of the road in Tsak Valley, investment in the Tsak Valley hydro project and others totalling over K100 million in the last three years.
Pato said the United Party would be endorsing 50 candidates throughout the country, including all the seats in Morobe and Western provinces.
In Enga, the party will contest all seats except Kandep Open because of the respect it has for the current member and Opposition leader, Don Polye.
He said of his leadership of the United Party: “I have been with the party since its rebirth 20 years ago and I will still be with it. Not one party leader will form government alone.
“Our party is there and we will talk to any party leader for a chance to form government and we will do it. We will partner to form government.”