Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) secured the Vaisigano No. 2 and Safata No. 1 by-elections held Friday, taking their number of seats in parliament to 32.
In Vaisigano No. 2, FAST candidate Motuopuaa Henney Henry Papali’i claimed a landslide victory. After the official count, he received 759 votes, while the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) candidate, Valasi Tafito Selesele, received 188 votes.
Motuopuaa previously won the Vaisigano No. 2 seat in last year’s general elections as an independent candidate and later resigned to join FAST, triggering the by-election.
In Safata No. 1, FAST candidate Tunumafono Clare Tai Tin won in a closely contested race. According to the official count, she secured 555 votes.
Fellow FAST candidate Tafafunai Saolotoga Fuimaono Mimio polled 553 votes, Tafafunai Aialii Anapu received 364 votes, and Tuigamala Vaisilika Tuigamala secured 118 votes. The HRPP candidate, Luailepou Tikilapilesa Misi, received 266 votes.
The Safata No. 1 seat was declared vacant after the Electoral Court found election winner Seve Te’i Fuimaono and petitioner Leaana Ronnie Posini guilty of corrupt practices, triggering a by-election.
The victories give FAST 32 seats, HRPP remains with 14, Samoa Uniting Party with three and two seats for Independents.
Photo: Talamua Media
