Two veteran councillors unopposed

 By ELIAS LARI

TWO long-serving councillors in Dei district, Western Highlands, have retained their seats after being declared unopposed last week.

They are Rumba Kumbalgi, from Kinjipi council ward 1, and Alphonse Tei, from Kinjipi ward 2, in the Kotna local level government.

Returning officer Steven Yalga made the declaration and returned Tei for a fifth consecutive term. Tei will serve for the next five years , taking to 25 years he will have served in office.

Kumbalgi has served for 42 years and will now add another five years to his term in office.

Primary school teacher Charles Tei, from the Kinjipi tribe, said the veteran councillors had provided good leadership.

“I congratulate the two councillors on retaining their seats,” he said. “I praise the two leaders for gaining the trust of the people to become the first councillors in the province to be declared unopposed.

“They have proved themselves and have performed as leaders in an honest and transparent way.

“This is the first of its kind in the district and my appeal to young people who are intending to become leaders is to lead by example so that they can earn people’s trust in future.”