Papua New Guinea's police commissioner says election-related fighting has been brought under control in the capital of Enga province.
PNG Police Commissioner, Gary Baki. Photo: EMTV
But Gary Baki said the situation in Wabag remained tense after at least four people, including two policemen, were killed on Saturday in gunfire exchanges between supporters of rival candidates for the Kandep Open seat.
Mr Baki visited Wabag yesterday and had meetings with Enga's provincial administrator, election returning officer and heads of security teams on the ground.
With fighting having settled, the commissioner gave clearance for a resumption of vote counting for other Enga electorates.
"I have given instructions for them to ensure that the other seats in Wabag, at least attention is focussed on that to get it out of the way so then we can concentrate on the Kandep seat, the very hot one," he said.
"Not neccessarily leaving Kandep out, but just so that we have a lot of people available for us to deal in the event that another situation develops."
Mr Baki said police were "managing" the unrest in Kandep, although admitted it was difficult to entirely rein in the two warring tribeal groups behind Kandep's two main rival candidates, sitting MP Don Polye and challenge Alfred Manase.
Don Polye (right) on the PNG election trail Photo: Supplied/ Wanpis Ako
"I have requested the police in Enga and the provincial administration to use their provincial network to do a lot of public awareness to the people," he explained.
However, it seems Wabag town is still not free of groups of armed supporters of the candidates.
"It's quite difficult for police to detect any of these people carrying firearms... because of the locality, the geopgraphy, the resources available and the movement of people - we cannot really keep track of them."
