General elections were held in Western Samoa 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.[1] Although all candidates ran as independents, an opposition bloc had emerged following the 1976 election of Tupuola Efi as Prime Minister in Parliament.
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All 47 seats in the Legislative Assembly | |||||||||||||||||||
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Background
Prior to the elections, around 1,500 matai had their titles removed by the registrar of the Land and Titles Court.[2] However, after intervention of head of state Malietoa Tanumafili II, the titles were restored.[2]
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.[3]
Electoral system
Voters elected the 47 members of parliament through the first-past-the-post voting system. Thirty-seven constituencies were represented in the legislature by a single seat, whilst four elected two candidates with their constituents casting two votes. Individual voters, primarily residents of European, Chinese or partial Samoan descent (half-caste), selected members for the other two seats. Reserved for half-caste and non-ethnic Samoans, the individual voters' constituency was nationwide. Except for the non-ethnic Samoan seats, candidates were required to hold a matai title to be eligible to contest the election, whilst non-matai were not permitted to vote.[4]
Results
Of the 47 elected members, 26 were new to the Legislative Assembly. Incumbents losing their seats included Minister of Education Lilomaiava Niko.[3] Alesana, Pualagi and Suivai were all re-elected.[3]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independents | 10,114 | 100.00 | 47 | |
| Total | 10,114 | 100.00 | 47 | |
| Valid votes | 10,114 | 99.07 | ||
| Invalid/blank votes | 95 | 0.93 | ||
| Total ballots cast | – | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 13,863 | – | ||
| Source: Nohlen et al. | ||||
Aftermath
Although candidates who had pledged to elect Va'ai Kolone as Prime Minister won a majority of seats,[5] Tupuola Efi was re-elected as Prime Minister on 28 March, defeating Kolone by 24 votes to 23.[6] 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.[7] The opposition members formed the Human Rights Protection Party with Kolone as its leader.
| Efi cabinet | |
|---|---|
| Position | Minister |
| Prime Minister | Tupuola Efi |
| Minister of Agriculture | Seumanu Aita Ah Wa |
| Minister of Economic Development | Letiu Tamatoa |
| Minister of Education | Fuimaono Mimio |
| Minister of Finance | Vaovasamanaia Filipo |
| Minister of Health | Faumuina Anapapa |
| Minister of Justice | Asi Eikeni |
| Minister of Lands and Survey | Lesatele Rapi |
| Minister of Works | Seuamuli Kurene |
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.[8] Following the loss of his majority, Efi avoided a potential vote of no confidence by not calling a parliamentary session until November.[9]