General elections were held in
Western Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...
on 24 February 1979. Voting was restricted to
matai and citizens of European origin ("individual voters"), with the Matai electing 45 MPs and Europeans two. Although all candidates ran as independents, an opposition bloc had emerged following the 1976 election of
Tupuola Efi as Prime Minister in Parliament.
Background
Prior to the elections, around 1,500 matai had their titles removed by the registrar of the Land and Titles Court.
[W. Samoa: A matter of matai]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', January 1979, p11 However, after intervention of head of state
Malietoa Tanumafili II
Malietoa Tanumafili II (4 January 1913 – 11 May 2007), addressed Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, was the Malietoa, the title of one of Samoa's four paramount chiefs, and the head of state, or '' O le Ao o le Malo'', a position that he held f ...
, the titles were restored.
[
Around a week before the elections, the Department of the Prime Minister issued a statement stating that three MPs had been meeting with an American firm the government considered to be dishonest. The three MPs, Tofilau Eti Alesana, Fa'aso'otauloa Pualagi and Sala Suivai, later revealed themselves and claimed the issue was being used against them.][
]
Results
Of the 47 elected members, 26 were new to the Legislative Assembly. Incumbents losing their seats included Minister of Education Lilomaiava Niko.[26 new faces in Apia's Fono]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1979, p25 Alesana, Pualagi and Suivai were all re-elected.[
]
Aftermath
Although candidates who had pledged to elect Va'ai Kolone as Prime Minister won a majority of seats,[Tupuola Efi under threat]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1979, p7 Tupuola Efi was re-elected as Prime Minister on 28 March, defeating Kolone by 24 votes to 23. The same voting pattern occurred in the elections for Speaker and Deputy Speaker, with Tuuu Faletoese elected Speaker with 24 votes to the 23 received by Leota Ale and Aeau Taulupoo defeating Toleafoa Talitimu by the same margin for the deputy speakership.[Apia's on the party line]
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', June 1979, p23 The opposition members formed the Human Rights Protection Party with Kolone as its leader.
In May Chief Justice Bryan Nicholson annulled the results in four constituencies due to bribery, with the four members – George Lober, Le Tagaloa Pita, Letiu Tamatoa (Minister of Economic Development) and Muliagatele Vena – losing their seats. Three of them (Lober, Tamatoa and) Vena were supporters of Efi. By-elections were held on 18 August, in which Lober and Tamatoa were re-elected, Vena lost his seat to Pule Lameko, but Pita was defeated by Efi supporter Mapuilesua Pelenato, giving Efi his 24–23 majority back. Following the loss of his majority, Efi avoided a potential vote of no confidence by not calling a parliamentary session until November.New politics in W. Samoa
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', April 1980, p19
See also
* List of members of the Legislative Assembly of Western Samoa (1979–1982)
References
{{Samoan elections
Western Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...
1979 in Samoa
Elections in Samoa
Non-partisan elections