Police arrest Numu, supporters

EASTERN Highlands Governor Peter Numu and more than 100 supporters have been arrested for allegedly disrupting the counting of votes for the provincial seat in Goroka, police say.
Provincial police commander Superintendent Michael Welly said two vehicles were burnt after members of the security forces rounded up Numu and his supporters on Saturday.
“It looks like opportunists burnt the vehicles,” he said.
“Numu and his close protection officers were arrested with 133 others for allegedly interfering in the counting process, demanding that Numu be declared.
“The supporters came in truck loads to the National Sports Institute where counting was taking place.”
Supt Welly said the supporters demanded that returning officer Livingstone Mangero declare Numu the winner.
“They threw stones and sticks into the counting venue,” he said.
“Members of the security force then arrested 133 supporters with Numu.
Numu was later released on a K1,000 bail with conditions.
His supporters are still being processed for bail.
Supt Welly said he had warned Numu several times that his group had been harassing supporters of other candidates.
“Numu assured him that he would send them back to the village.
“The last time, I told him was in front of Assistant Commissioner Police (ACP) Peter Guiness,” he said.

Bird replaces Pruaitch as National Alliance Party leader

From left: National Alliance Party president Stephen Pokawin, Angoram MP Saliyo Waipo, Namatanai MP Walter Schnaubelt, outgoing party president Patrick Pruaitch, East Sepik Governor Allan Bird, Kairuku MP Peter Isoaimo and party secretary/public officer Joyce Grant at the party office yesterday. – Picture supplied

By HELEN TARAWA
EAST Sepik Governor-elect Allan Bird is the new parliamentary leader of the National Alliance Party.
Bird told The National that he was appointed yesterday during the parliamentary caucus meeting.
Outgoing parliamentary party leader Patrick Pruaitch, who lost his Aitape-Lumi seat, attended the meeting.
He said each MP was given the opportunity to address the meeting.
They then agreed to elect Bird as the parliamentary leader.
The five party MPs are Bird, Walter Schnaubelt (Namatanai), Peter Isoaimo (Kairuku), Saliyo Waipo (Angoram), and the late William Nakin (North Bougainville).
There will be a by-election held for North Bougainville seat.
Pruaitch thanked Schnaubelt, who was also considered for the party leader, for his “immeasurable” contribution to the party.
“He also raised his hand for the position,” Pruaitch said.
He wished the party MPs all the best and urged them to stand united and become “an even more effective and vibrant political party”.

14 seats yet to be declared

THERE are 14 more seats to be declared as the 85 elected members whose writs have been returned to Government House prepare to attend the first sitting of Parliament today.
Prime Minister James Marape said the winners of 104 seats had been confirmed so far.
Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai returned 85 writs to Governor-General Grand Chief Sir Bob Dadae last Friday.
The other 19 writs are still with him and expected to be returned with others to Sir Bob by the new 4pm deadline on Friday, Aug 12.
The 85 MPs will be sworn in today by Chief Justice Sir Gibbs Salika.
Marape said compared to past elections, the “2022 General Election (GE22) went well”.
“Yes, we had issues but we managed to deliver, with 104 seats been declared. We still have 14 more to go,” Marape said.
Marape said that despite reports of election-related violence from parts of the country, almost 95 percent of the country ran a successful election.