A senior official from the Registry of Political Parties has revealed that 33 political parties in the current term of Parliament were issued notices of intention to be deregistered due to non-compliance with legal requirements.
Patrick Kaiku, representing the Registry, made the remarks on Sunday evening at the special National Convention of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Port Moresby, where the party elected its new executives.
Mr. Kaiku said many party executives across the country lack a proper understanding of the Organic Law on the Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC), which governs the registration and conduct of political parties in Papua New Guinea.
He explained that the Registry of Political Parties was established in the early 2000s during the leadership of late Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta, with the aim of promoting stability in the country’s political system.
The law was designed to ensure political parties contribute to stable governance both inside and outside Parliament, he said.
“The role of political parties is not only on the floor of Parliament but also outside, through strong membership, sound constitutions and proper dispute resolution mechanisms,” the former political science lecturer said.
He noted that the issuance of deregistration notices to 33 parties demonstrates serious compliance challenges within the political landscape. According to Kaiku, many party leaders fail to fully understand or comply with the administrative requirements under OLIPPAC.
To address this, the Registry has introduced a Learning and Development Program to educate party executives about their legal obligations and governance responsibilities.
Mr. Kaiku commended the SDP for adhering to its party constitution by convening a special convention to address internal leadership issues and elect new executives.
He also congratulated the newly elected SDP leaders and encouraged them to participate in the Registry’s training programs to strengthen the party’s administrative capacity ahead of the 2027 National General Election.