Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai has announced the tentative dates for by-election for the three vacant seats or electorates in the country. It will be conducted in the second quarter of this year.
The three vacant seats are North Bougainville, Wewak Open and the Lagaip Open seat in the Enga province.
According to the Electoral Commissioner, Simon Sinai the North Bougainville seat was declared failed after the incumbent MP late William Nakin who won has passed on after the polling was completed.
For Wewak Open, the incumbent MP Late Kevin Isifu also passed on after retaining his seat in the 10th Parliament due to illness.
For the Lagaip Open in the Enga province, the election was declared failed following widespread disruptions during the polling as majority of the voters there were not given the opportunity to cast their votes.
Mr Sinai explained that the commission intends to conduct these by-elections commencing April and have the writs returned by early July.
The proposed dates for the by-elections are as follows:
Issue of Writs – Thursday 27th of April 2023
Close of Nomination – Wednesday 3rd of May 2023
Start of Polling – Saturday 3rd of June 2023
End of Polling – Friday 16th of June 2023
Return of writs will be on Friday 7th of July 2023.
Commissioner Sinai said the cost of running the by-elections was factored in the recent 2022 election budget.
“From the K462 million budget in 2022, K100 million was earmarked for election petitions legal bill costs, whilst K50 million anticipated for by-elections” he said.
Mr Sinai said the commission submitted an estimated budget of K14, 059, 542.00 for running the by-election for the three electorates.
The electoral commissioner explained that the cost of running the Lagaip by-election stands at K5, 792 807.00, the North Bougainville cost K2, 652, 660.00 and the Wewak Open cost K5, 614, 075.00
Mr Sinai said the estimated budget does not include security cost as it is funded separately which the Police Commissioner will make a separate submission.
Commissioner Sinai added that the total by-elections cost for all the three electorates is reasonable following the set election rules.
“We are actually being reasonable following the set rules for elections. The demand to deliver an election under such situation remains a challenge until we get a change public perception about election,” he said.
The Electoral Commissioner is optimistic to complete the by-elections on time to avoid inconvenience or clash with the Local Level Government election which is also due this year, 2023.
