I Lesatele
Five women are among the 51 newly elected members of Parliament who will be representing their constituencies in the next five years.
The newly elects meets the requirement of the constitution for the minimum number of women to be elected Members of Parliament in a parliamentary term.
The 5-women heading into this upcoming Parliament is lead by the leader of FAST Fiame Naomi Mataafa who was elected unopposed.
The others are the Minister of Health Faimalotoa Kika Stowers Ah Kau and newly elected members Matamua Seumanu Vasati, Leota A’eau Tima Leavai and Mulipola Anarosa Ale Molio’o.
The success of these women in the elections is applauded, but it is has to be noted only five women were elected or only 25% of the women candidates who ran for election.
The rest were left behind and their polling totals low.
Some were only able to capture 1.6%, 4.5% and 5% of the total votes cast in their constituencies.
Of the women who put up their hands to contest the 2021 general elections, 10 ran for the HRPP 6 ran for FAST, 2 for the Tautua Party, 1 Independent and one Samoa First.
There were 12 women candidates from Savaii and 8 in Upolu.
Under the constitution if the 5-member quota for women are not met the numbers have to be made up from the highest voting woman candidate who was not elected.
This was first done after the 2016 general election when only four women were elected.
History was then made MP Fa’aulusau Rosa Lavea became the first woman Member of Parliament elected to make up the numbers.
Veteran Member of Parliament and a former deputy Prime Minister in the HRPP government Fiame Naomi Mataafa and now the leader of the FAST Party (Fa’atuatua ile Atua Samoa Ua Tasi) has continued the legacy of her parents. Her father Fiame Mataafa Mulinuu II was the first Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa and a paramount chief.
Her mother was also a Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Lotofaga when her husband passed away.
The daughter is now a Member of Parliament, a role she has been carrying for many years.