Woman running second in EHP regional race

TRIUMPH Heritage Empowerment Party woman candidate for Eastern Highlands Julie Soso has surged into second place in the Eastern Highlands regional seat count.
Soso has picked up votes well in the elimination process stage with eight more boxes to go before a declaration is made on the new regional MP.
She is running second with 52,341 votes, 2,111 votes away from People’s Movement for Change candidate Samuel Si’i, who is leading with 55,452 votes.
Former parliamentarian Sir Barry Holloway has moved into third with 49,752 votes.
Former governor Peti Lafanama, Moses Namageliso and Simon Sia, who featured prominently in the top six since the start of the count; trail the top three as the elimination process continues.
Eastern Highlands provincial returning officer, Ikiso Kosanama said they had eight more boxes to go before a winner could be declared.
Kosanama said transparency and accountability must be maintained in the counting and elimination process to allow candidates and scrutineers to be fully aware of what was happening.
He said police removed two regional seat count supervisors Justus Kiangu and Danny Kenna after complaints by scrutineers.
Kiangu and Kenna yesterday complained that policemen deployed bashed them up while in the company of assistant provincial election manager Janet Reuben.
They denied allegations they had received bribes to turn ballot papers at the counting to the advantage of the candidate who bribed them.
“We want the assistant provincial elections mana­ger to tell us who bribed us, where the money came,” Kiangu said. 
“She must tell the public through the media to prove her allegation,” Kiangu said.
Kenna said police had accused them of distributing cash and stopping counting unnecessarily.
He said Reuben was accompanied by policemen entered the counting venue at 11.45pm on Tuesday and attacked them.
“They searched our pockets, removed cash and a mobile phone, I suffered a swollen left ear and would like them to come out and explain the allegation,” Kenna said.
They are considering taking legal action against Reuben and the Electoral Commission.
Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen issued a special instruction to returning officers of electorates still in counting not to entertain any complaints and continue to the end.
He said any grievance and complaints raised must be addressed in the Court of Disputed Returns by way of an election petition.