Somare: I will run for the 2012 general election
Sir Michael makes the announcement at NBC Wewak. Picture courtesy of Ben Kedoga.
Papua New Guinea veteran politician and former prime minister Sir Michael Somare will contest the 2012 general election despite announcing recently that he was retiring from politics.
His daughter and media spokesperson, Betha, also said recently that her father was retiring but this is now not the case.
The PNG state broadcaster National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has reported that PNG’s founding PM, who first entered politics in 1968 and was head of government for nine years before his toppling in August last year, announced on NBC Wewak in East Sepik province this morning that he will run for the regional seat.
“It is official: the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare is again contesting the East Sepik regional seat for the last time. His announcement today on NBC East Sepik will put to rest rumors that he is not contesting this year’s elections,” NBC reporter Gregory Pegines posted on social media.
Initially there was confusion on whether Sir Michael will re-contest after his speech at a fundraiser for the National Alliance Party (NA) suggested that he was retiring. However it was later reported that the veteran MP will not run for public office and will instead focus on campaigning for NA candidates.
“There had been some talk and Sir Michael himself had contributed to speculation that he would change his mind and contest the election again because of the way he was ousted from office in August last year, but over the weekend he said that won't be the case. But he will be campaigning on behalf of the candidates that will be contesting the election for the National Alliance party,” Radio Australia’s PNG correspondent Liam Fox reportedly said.
Similar sentiments were also expressed by Betha in an interview with journalists: “He is not contesting the election. He's been in politics for 43 years; he's been elected every time. I don't think he has anything else to prove”.
The O'Neill government will remain in office until July when election writs are returned.
Last year Betha’s brother and Angoram MP, Arthur, also made a similar announcement after their father underwent a bypass surgery in a Singapore hospital, only for the ailing MP to declare upon his return to PNG that he was ready to return to office.
The decision by Sir Michael to return to politics will be a timely boost for the NA in the lead-up to the issuing of election writs, as it was the dominant political party and led government until August last year, when it crumbled after key members joined forces with the Opposition and elected Peter O’Neil as Prime Minister. However, a Supreme Court appeal by the East Sepik provincial government saw him being reinstated as PM last December, only to see the O’Neill government use its parliamentary majority to pass legislation that “legitimized” their hold on power, consequently plunging the country into a constitutional crisis. The matter has returned to court and the proceedings are on foot.
PNG’s polling period officially gets underway this Friday May 18 under a revised election schedule put out by the PNG Electoral Commission, when writs for the elections are issued despite a push by a number of local politicians to defer voting by six months. Mr O’Neill has assured Papua New Guineans that the general election will not be deferred, a point which his Public Enterprise Minister and retiring MP Sir Mekere Morauta reportedly emphasized yesterday, though he admitted that the PM continued to be pressured on the issue.
“It is very clear to people in Papua New Guinea that the PM is determined to make sure that the writs are issued on Friday and that the elections take place. He is being consistent in the face of very difficult opposition mounted by people within the government. He stood firm, he is taking that on board, he still stands firm and I hope he can put it through,” Sir Mekere told Radio Australia.