A record five female MPs have been elected into the Kiribati parliament, the Maneaba ni Maungatabo, which is one more than the last polls, while 14 sitting MPs have lost their seats in this year’s election.
The five women are: first time MPs Ruth Cross Kwansing (South Tarawa), Lavinia Teatao Teem (Abaiang) and Ruta Baabo Manate (Maiana Island), a former speaker Tangariki Reete (Betio), and opposition leader in the last parliament Tessie Eria Lambourne (Abemama).
Manate, 35, is also the youngest female MP to be elected into parliament, while Lavinia is the wife of veteran MP from Kiritimati Island constituency, Jacob. The Teems’ become the first ever husband-and-wife duo to be elected into MP together.
Three of the 14 MP who have lost their seats were cabinet ministers in the last government.
President Taneti Maamau also easily retained his seat in his home islands of Onotoa.
The Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs released the final results on Tuesday, after a run-off round was held on Monday to elect the 19 remaining MPs for the 45-seat House.
There are 17 first time and 27 returning MPs.
Sir Ieremia Tabai, who was the first president of Kiribati, was also re-elected in Nonouti.
The voter turnout stood at 58 percent – 30,699 ballots were cast out of 52941 eligible voters.
Electoral officials took two days to complete the counting after round one on Wednesday, 14 August, due to representatives of candidates not being happy about the count.
However, the second-round results arrived quicker.
“There had to be numerous recounts, and compared to this second round, they are hoping for much improvement with the accounting, and [electoral officials] are trying to avoid the mistakes they made during the first counting,” a local resident Tulua Tinau said.
Another local source in Tarawa told RNZ Pacific it is not easy to say who will form government.
“It is pretty hard to predict since everything can change even if you have the majority,” the source said.
“If your party have the majority in the parliament, that does not guarantee your party winning the Presidential election.
“In any case, if a candidate who does not have the majority wins, then they could attract the other party members to cross the floor simply by providing them with a portfolio in the government, thus increasing the number of MPs supporting her or him.”
“But if they cannot command the majority MPs, they will definitely face a motion of ‘no confidence’.”
However, they said the voters have signalled through their votes that they do not want a change in government.
“I think the majority of the people of Kiribati do not need a change and they have indicated that in the election. We have more TKP members compared to KKP and KMP opposition parties not counting the new MPs.”
Last week, Ruth Kwansing, who is now an independent MP, told RNZ Pacific that she would side whichever party is in the best position to form government.
“I just need to make sure that I’m in the right party because you’re somewhat powerless if you’re in the wrong party,” she said.
“So, with the interest of the constituency at heart, I just need to make sure that it’s the going to be the ruling party,” she said.
