Primary counting for the Menyamya by-election in Morobe Province is underway as polling winds down.
Returning Officer Nande Awape said there were four counting venues for the primary counts and the quality checks will be done at Kome, Wapi, Nanima/Kariba and Kapao LLGs. They will be later transported to Menyamya station for the checks and elimination.
Kome LLG started their counting yesterday.
“I have allowed commencing since they were ready,” said Awape.
“Wapi LLG will start this afternoon and continue into Thursday 23rd. For Nanima/Kariba and Kapao, three polling areas polled on Tuesday 21 and extraction will be done later so might start counting on Friday,” he said.
Polling will be complete once the extractions at Komakwata, Kopakili (Kapao) and Yapato (Nanima/Kariba) are done.
He said polling was conducted at 138 sites, and all went well without any disruption except for the bad weather that delayed the insertion of the polling officials and security personnel. Otherwise, it was all good.
The returning officer also acknowledged police personnel for assisting the polling officials.
“Police personnel were on hand to assist as much possible and did a great job and I commend them for their efforts in ensuring it was safe and free.”
Meanwhile, most of the polling security personnel have left, leaving the response units for counting.
Operations Commander Chief Inspector John Daviaga said most of the visiting officers from Lae Metropolitan, Morobe Police Headquarters, Wau and Bulolo repatriated yesterday.
“Only the response units remained to do the counting and declarations,” he said.