Officials urged to be wary of fake ballot papers

Election officials are urged to be cautious about fake ballot papers floating around in Enga Province.

Enga regional candidate Robert Pati has called on electoral officials and security personnel deployed to conduct elections in the Highlands region to be on alert.

Pati said this following rumours of ballot papers floating around with some marked as legal and ready to be counted in favour of certain candidates.

Pati said to elect good leaders, the elections must be transparent and violence free.

He highlighted that voters must exercise their democratic rights without ballot papers being hijacked by desperate candidates.

“We have wasted resources and time campaigning for the last two months to ensure this election must be seen as free, just and fair election.

“The Electoral Commission plays a vital role in ensuring the election be conducted through transparent and democratic rights of each voters through normal secret polling.

“People can vote by going through their names on the common rolls, if any election official highjacks the system, nature will come back to you and highjack your life too,” Pati said.

He also challenged security personnel not to take sides with candidates and supporters but to be neutral so people can exercise their rights.

The pre-counting of ballot papers and training of polling officials is now underway in Wabag.

One day polling in Enga is scheduled on Tuesday, July 4.

Author: 
Quintina Naime