IMBONGGU WRAP UP ELECTIONS WITH 14 COUNCILLORS DECLARED UNOPPOSED

BY JOSEPH REMA

IMBONGGU Proper in the Southern Highlands Province wrapped-up it’s two-day polling for 2025 Local Level Government Election (LLG) with 14 councillors declared unopposed in Walume earlier this week.

The Assistance Returning Officer of Imbonggu Proper, Mr. Buce Kamuge was very happy with the unique outcome of the election saying such a number of councillors had never been left unchallenged in the past.

“However, the 14 councillors declared unopposed denoted new beginning for Imbonggu,” Kamuge said.

According to Kamuge, the Marapre/Roso Government created 541 new council wards throughout Papua New Guinea and Imbonggu received 15.

“Out of 541 wards, one was issued to Sumia 4 in Lower Mendi LLG and 14 were given to Imbonggu Proper adding the tally to 33 wards,” Kamuge said. “Since the wards were newly introduced, people do not want to contest against the councillors representing these new wards but come next election they will vie for it.”

Kamuge added that out of 33 council wards in Imbonggu Proper, only 19 wards contested and declared.

“We never witnessed such a big number of councillors going unopposed and what had transpired for this election is history in the making,” Kamuge said.

In addition to that, the Imbonggu District Works Project Officer, Mr. Nick Paka assisting the ARO of Imbonggu said that election process was delayed due to minor disruption but eventually they resolved it using amicable manners.

“Many of the elderly people and youths commended polling officials for managing odd situations to make this election the successful one,” Paka said.