An independent candidate Vincent Kumura has been declared the Member-Elect for the Usino-Bundi Gama Open By-Election in Madang Province, securing victory by a narrow margin of 279 votes.
Kumura polled a total of 14,694 votes, edging out his closest rival and People’s First Party candidate, Donald Uguro, son of former MP, Jimmy Uguro who finished with 14,416 votes after the final count.
Returning Officer Terence Baiyo made the official declaration at around 6pm yesterday, bringing an end to a tightly contested race that featured 27 candidates, including five former MPs and two former Madang Governors, Peter Yama and Jim Kas.
The Usino-Bundi Gama seat had been vacant for more than a year following the passing of the late MP, Jimmy Uguro, who was serving as Education Minister and was a member of the ruling Pangu Pati at the time of his death.
