With the doors to the actual parliament locked to try to stop the transition of power, the FAST party and its leader, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, Samoa s first woman prime minister, were sworn in outside of parliament, in a marquee. For those who aren’t so sure about what’s going on in Samoa and the changes it brings about to its political scene and prime minister, let’s explain the basics.
BEC HANIFY-SEUMANU/Supplied Who has been the dominant political party? For 39 years, Samoa has had the same political party – the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) – in power, and the same leader since 1998.
The Electoral Commissioner Faimalōmatumua Mathew Lemisio said they would face legal action.
Double voting surfaced during the official count for Sagaga 2 constituency that started Tuesday and was put on hold as officials examined the double-voting issue.
The Office said there were 39 instances of double voting.
The Samoa Electoral Commission show votes being tallied during the general election in the capital city of Apia
Photo: AFP or licensors
It is suspected that those people voted in last Friday s election after casting their vote in the pre-polls that ran in the four days prior.
Provisional results indicate the caretaker Human Rights Protection Party or HRPP is neck-and-neck with newcomer Fa atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi Party or FAST party on 25 seats each. An independent MP, Tuala Tevaga Iosefo Ponifasio, has also won a seat, giving him the likely deciding vote.
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There are 500,000 Samoans living in New Zealand, the US, Australia and elsewhere, while just 200,000 in Samoa itself.
Although there is no clear data on how many of the diaspora are Samoan citizens, there are concerns extended voting rights could dictate elections results.
One who believes all Samoan citizens should have the right to participate in their country s democracy is Christchurch-based political scientist Christina La ala ai-Tausa. Samoans overseas contribute to 49 percent of Samoa s economy annually through remittances, said Dr La ala ai-Tausa. So it is timely for Samoans overseas to be able to vote given we contribute a lot to Samoa from our
tautua (service) from overseas.