Kabwum by-election nominations underway

Monday, 28 April 2025, 2:16 pm

First candidate nominating for the Kabwum by-election Patrick Basa (right). (image: NBC News)

Only one candidate has nominated so far for the Kabwum By-Election in Morobe province, since the issue of writs and start of nominations last Thursday the 24th of April, 2025.

Morobe Elections Manager, Simon Soheke told NBC News that Patrick Basa is the only one who has registered so far.

However, he's expecting others to register as of today.

Kabwum is one of two districts in Morobe province that didn't complete their elections to properly elect a local MP, after supporters of disagreeing candidates burnt all its ballot papers in the 2022 National Elections.

Kabwum has been without an MP for 2-years since the Court nullified its elections.

Mr. Soheke told NBC News that the Provincial Elections Advisory Committee (PEAC) has agreed to have PNG Defence Force soldiers assist police, as additional security on the ground when polling begins for the district on Saturday, the 12th of May.

"The PEAC met and decided that we should have the PNGDF soldiers as additional security, to avoid any mishaps and ensure that this time Kabwum has an elected leader after this election, " Soheke said.

Mr. Soheke went on to clarify, that this however, depends on the outcome of the Committee's request to the PNGDF and the Police Department, to which the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Northern Command, Peter Guiness, as a member of the PEAC, is currently organising with the PNGDF Commander and the Police Commissioner.

Meantime, funds from the National Government for the Kabwum By-Election and the LLG Elections have been delayed.

"All 22 provinces have been instructed to create new accounts and organise signatories for funds to be debited into. For Morobe, I have already established the signatories and sent the paperwork to Port Moresby as of Friday last week," the Elections Manager said.

According to Mr. Soheke, his Office is tapping into the first K500,000.00 of the K1 million that the Morobe Provincial Government has committed.

"We are thankful that the Morobe Provincial Administration has come to the rescue with the assistance of K1million, so we will use that while waiting for the actual funds from the National Government," he said.