Unlikely Kingmaker Seeks Change in Samoan Politics
After 15 years of trying and failing, Samoa’s Tuala Iosefo Ponifasio has secured his passage to Parliament, but also found himself as perhaps the most pivotal figure in last Friday’s elections.
Preliminary election results showing dead-heat between the incumbent Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) and the Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa Ua Tasi (FAST) political party. Each has an estimated 25 seats in Parliament.
With Parliament composed of 51 seats, that still leaves Tuala, the independent winner of Gagaemauga No. 1, as the Member-elect whose support could determine the course of the next five years of Samoan politics.
In an exclusive interview with the Sunday Samoan at his house in Saleaula, Tuala said he was in no rush to make any decisions before every ballot is officially counted to see if he maintains his position as the nation’s ‘kingmaker’.
He admits he has yet given little thought to potentially determining the balance of power over the next five years. But he says his top priorities include effecting change - not in terms of policy, but the very nature of national politics itself. That means safeguards against corruption; raising up standards of Parliamentary behaviour and attracting new people and ideas to Samoan democracy. Ultimately the newlyelected MP said he would not be swayed by either party’s policy manifestos and will instead prioritise the advice of village elders from across his electorate. But that has stopped the major parties from trying to win him over. He confirmed that he was approached soon after last Friday night’s electoral figures indicated a tie that only he could break.
“I’ve had a lot of calls from FAST and from the HRPP, you know the persuasion and all,” he said. He declined to outline what, if any, offers or concessions had been offered to him to secure his support to form a Government in the Legislative Assembly.
“I will refrain from commenting on that side of things,” Tuala said.
“I have to respect what each party is working on and I am sure they are still thinking of what to do. But I won’t comment on that. Tuala says he is in no hurry to announce an intention to break any political deadlock until the intense atmosphere of political campaigning fades so that he can consider his options next week.
“Tonight (Saturday) we are saying thank you to the constituency, especially those who have helped with the campaign,” he said. “Sunday is church, then Monday I guess that’s when the process of considering where to, will start.”
He is prepared to wait for the final count of all ballots to be concluded; a process that starts this week.