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Port Moresby - When Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd left Papua New Guinea last week after a successful fence-mending tour, little did he know he'd left a namesake behind.
Little Kevin Rudd was born to Lina and Esau Kitgi in Goroka Hospital, Eastern Highlands Province shortly after the other Kevin, visited the hospital on Friday March 7.
The couple from Red Top village in Lufa district, Eastern Highlands, were so thrilled by the arrival of both the Australian PM and their fourth child, they tied the events together.
Goroka hospital mid-wife Elizabeth Angiva said everyone was excited by Mr Rudd's visit to their hospital.
"Rudd was outside the labour ward and soon after he left they had the baby and decided to call it Kevin Rudd," she said.
"He is a strong baby boy, weighing 4.5kg, and his parents are fine," she said.
The Australian PM was in Goroka, population 22,000, to show he and his government brought new found respect to PNG, something lacking during the former PM John Howard's years.
Mr Rudd received a Royal-like welcome at the airport, was mobbed walking the streets and bought numerous local handicrafts before visiting the Goroka Base hospital.
The day before in PNG's capital Port Moresby thousands of school children lined the streets waving Australian flags before Mr Rudd met counterpart Michael Somare for bilateral talks.
- AAP
