Prime Minister Hon. James Marape has assured Parliament that the Government will take necessary steps to address serious electoral boundary discrepancies affecting 60 parliamentary seats ahead of the 2027 National General Election.
The Prime Minister gave the assurance while responding to questions without notice from East Sepik Governor and Chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Elections, Hon. Allan Bird, who raised concerns over incorrect and overlapping electoral boundaries identified by the Electoral Commission.
Governor Bird informed Parliament that newly appointed Electoral Commissioner Dr Nicole Haley had revealed during a parliamentary committee hearing last Friday that boundaries affecting 60 parliamentary seats were incorrect or overlapping, with unauthorised additions of wards also identified in some electorates.
He warned that the discrepancies, which originated from the work of the 2022 Electoral Boundaries Commission, could create serious legal complications if not corrected before the 2027 elections.
Prime Minister Marape acknowledged the concerns and assured Parliament that the Government was committed to resolving the outstanding issues through proper administrative and legal processes.
“I am fully aware of the issues pertaining to electoral boundaries,” Marape said.
“We intend to leave no stone unturned in making sure that the electoral boundaries have integrity as we face the 2027 elections.”
The Prime Minister confirmed that the Chief Secretary was overseeing the necessary administrative processes, including an outstanding National Executive Council submission relating to the Electoral Boundaries Commission.
He explained that delays were partly due to the need for input from relevant government agencies, particularly those responsible for provincial and local-level government affairs.
Marape said he expected to receive a comprehensive briefing from the Electoral Commissioner next Tuesday on the outstanding boundary discrepancies and the corrective measures required.
“Next Tuesday, we will get a full brief from the Electoral Commissioner on what needs to be done,” he said.
The Prime Minister clarified that the Government had not directed the Electoral Boundaries Commission to recommence its work outside the normal 10-year boundary review cycle.
However, he said the Government would examine the discrepancies identified by the Electoral Commissioner and determine appropriate measures to correct them while preserving the work undertaken by the 2022 Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Meanwhile, Marape reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to adequately funding preparations for the 2027 National General Election.
He announced that an additional K150 million had been allocated through the 2026 Supplementary Budget, bringing the total funding provided for election preparations to K200 million.
The Prime Minister said the additional K150 million would be released to the Electoral Commission before the end of this year.
He indicated that the funding could also support work required to address electoral boundary discrepancies if the Electoral Commissioner determined that such measures were necessary.
Marape stressed that clearly defined electoral boundaries, an updated common roll and proper election preparations were essential to ensuring credible elections and restoring public confidence in the electoral process.
He also commended Governor Bird and the Special Parliamentary Committee on Elections for identifying weaknesses in electoral administration and maintaining parliamentary scrutiny over preparations for the 2027 polls.
The Prime Minister said electoral reform required cooperation across political divisions and assured Parliament that the Government would continue supporting efforts to address deficiencies within the electoral system.
He maintained that the Government’s ultimate objective was to ensure the 2027 National General Election is conducted with greater integrity, transparency and adequate resources compared with previous elections.