1 Jun 2015

Incumbent out in front in Bougainville race

6:21 pm on 1 June 2015

The incumbent president in Bougainville, John Momis, is establishing a huge lead in the race to win the post for the next five years.

The President of Bougainville, John Momis

The President of Bougainville, John Momis Photo: RNZI

Nine people contested for the role in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region, in elections that finished a week ago.

Counting of the presidential votes got underway at the weekend and Mr Momis has established a 14,000 vote margin over second placed former national cabinet minister, Sam Akoitai.

Mr Momis has garnered more than half of all votes counted so far.

The next most prominent candidates are Ishmael Toroama and Sam Kauona, two former commanders of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, which led the opposition to the PNG Defence Force and a loyalist militia during the ten year long civil war.