20 Feb 2013

Ten candidates to contest by-election in Solomons

4:07 pm on 20 February 2013

Ten candidates will contest the by-election in the Solomon Islands electorate of Gela.

The seat was formerly held by Mark Kemakeza who was jailed last year after being found guilty on fraud charges.

Nominations closed in January for the by-election in Central province, the fifth since the general elections in mid-2010.

The Electoral Commission says it has been doing its best to ensure voters go to the polls freely on February the 27th.

Kemakeza was sentenced to 14 months in prison last March after using nearly 40,000 US dollars in funds earmarked for community fishing projects.