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'All part of the election game' — Samoa's new PM says she's been called in front of court on private prosecution

May 25, 2021

The new Prime Minister said the actions from the outgoing HRPP party yesterday, which included locking people out of parliament, was “all part of the election game”.

Incoming Samoan Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and two of members of her party are being called in front of court this morning on a private prosecution related to the election result, she has said.

Fiame told Breakfast the political stalemate in Samoa is “in uncharted waters” and she is not “terribly surprised” by the actions of the outgoing HRRP party yesterday, which included locking people out of parliament.

As a result of the lockout, she named her cabinet yesterday in a tent on parliament grounds, but whether the ceremony will be regarded as legal and official remains to be seen.

Yesterday was the last day in the period of 45 days that parliament has to sit following an election, under the Samoan constitution.

The standoff between the newcomers and the party that’s been in power for the past 40 years continues.

Fiame said the election result was being contested and she and FAST deputy leader La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao would attend court this morning.

“The first order of business today is that a few of us are being called up before the courts," she said. "There has been a private prosecution being set up against us, so the matter is being called this morning.

“Both [the other two FAST members] had such high [election] results that it takes them out of being taken to court so that’s why this action of private prosecution has been taken."

Fiame calmly called the legal action “all part of the election game, I suppose”.


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