Pressure is starting to mount for the two women MPs unable to take up their rightful seats in Parliament while waiting to be sworn in.
Speaker Papali’i Taeu Masepa’u wants all court matters contesting the right of the women to be allowed into Parliament to be settled first.
The HRPP opposition deputy leader, Lauofo Fonotoe Meti, is hopeful the women MPs will attend the next session of Parliament towards the end of March.
‘The court ruling that upheld the 6 women MPs is for the swearing in only after the hearings of all election petitions and the holding of by-elections which are done,” Lauofo explained in a press conference during the week.
“ Under normal practice the women would be sworn in by now and go on from there, if there are any court matters pending then it will apply only after there is a ruling.”
HRPP secretary, MP Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi, also reacted to Government claims that the delay for the women MPs is no different to the swearing in of the new Parliament.
“The delay in swearing in Parliament was in deciding the final number of seats with 10% of the women’s seat still undecided at the time and as it turned out we were right,” Lealailepule clarified.
For the unsworn women MPs the last legal tie-up remaining is a court challenge of the calculation method that decided the rightful women for the seats.
The challenge is by one of the women candidates in the general elections
MPs Ali’imalemanu Ms. Alofa Tu’uau of Alataua i Sisifo and Fagaesealii Sapoa Feagiai of Aleipata Itupa i Lalo are the two women MPs whose seats are held up.
Alataua i Sisifo MP-In-Waiting, Ali’imalemanu Ms. Alofa Tu’uau has been left in political limbo for close to a year now since the 2021 general elections results last April.
The wait started with Constitutional challenge on the legitimacy of the 6th seat for women that qualified Ali’imalemanu as an MP.
The ruling was upheld by the Appeals Court but with tail end conditions that she could not take up her seat officially until after court petitions and by-elections.
All court petitions have since been settled to clear the path for Ali’imalemanu.
But her position remained unchanged even after the by-elections when the Speaker decided to freeze any swearing in until after the court petitions from by-elections
Fagaesealii Sapoa Feagiai of Aleipata Itupa i Lalo joined her HRPP party member when her vote percentage count in the by-election showed higher than Anoama’a FAST candidate Leota Nora.
How her winning percentage was determined as directed by the Constitution but is being challenged by her FAST rival.
The court hearing is the last remaining obstacle that the opposition leader Lauofo believes should not stop the swearing in of the two women MPs who are both HRPP party members.