Political rallies on the way to the Parliament Building- Mulinu’u
By Staff Writer
The holding of election rallies in villages is unsettlingly the normal peace and quiet in the community.
This was the growing reaction the opposition HRPP found from their recent promotional travels around the villages.
The vote lobbying trend originated with the ruling FAST political party in the lead up to the 2021 general elections.
The ruling HRPP party at the time did not follow the opposition lead but later blamed the damaging misinformation made against them for their eventual fall from power.
The most damaging at the time was putting the fear in the villages of the Chinese buying up Samoan customary land.
The HRPP were not making the same mistakes of sitting back with the ruling party plans to hold village rallies for the upcoming general elections.
In the end, however, the village reaction was in quiet protest at the disruptions to the normal everyday living they are used to.
Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi agrees fully with the villages when it was quietly raised at the end.
“These election village rallies are alien to our own Samoan culture of rule where the chiefs and orators are the decision makers,” Tuilaepa deferred.
“We are trying to imitate foreign cultures that only creates frictions between village families, villages and churches,” he added.
The HRPP leader is concerned at family unity in the villages starting to break up under the pressure of political influence.
“FAST is behind this threat against unity in families, village and districts, with the holding of political rallies that is behind the breakup in family harmony.”
Falelatai village has taken the lead in this looming protest by becoming the first to place a ban on all election promotions within their boundaries.
The deadline for all political rallies is this weekend but the issue going forward is certain to be a concern for the new Parliament to debate.
The HRPP leader promised it they will do so if in power.
