Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi

Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi is a Samoan politician and former member of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He is the founder[1] and interim chair of the Tautua Samoa party.[2]

Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi in 2013

Lealailepule became an MP in August 2006, representing the Faleata West (Faleata i Sisifo)[3] parliamentary constituency.[4] He had previously served as chief executive of the Samoan airport authority, and won election with 795 votes, 165 more than his rival, the former minister of police.[5]

Since his election, Lealailepule has campaigned against the planned government sale of the public broadcaster Radio 2AP.[6] He has also, since the formation of Tautua Samoa,[7] expressed doubts about the ability of the police commissioner to function in office following a damaging Commission of Inquiry Report, and called for the release on parole of former cabinet minister Toi Aukuso, jailed in the 1990s for the murder of Minister of Works Luagalau Levaula Kamu.[7]

In November 2008, Lealailepule was one of twelve (later whittled down to nine) MPs from the Samoan opposition to form a new political party, Tautua Samoa.[8] Like the other Tautua Samoa members, Lealailepule registered as an independent MP to avoid the constitutional requirement to contest a by-election on changing parties.[9][10] The party was in January 2009 ordered to formally notify the Speaker of its existence and membership.[11] Establishing the party, Lealailepule expressed his intention to form a stronger and more effective opposition to the ruling Human Rights Protection Party.[12] In May 2009, Speaker Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Lei'ataua revoked the parliamentary membership of all nine of the party's MPs, on the grounds that joining a party after being elected "breached the provisions of the Electoral Act and the parliament standing orders".[13][14] The expulsion was later overturned by the courts.

In March 2010, Lealailepule was deemed to have resigned from Parliament under anti-party-hopping laws after refusing to deny his support for Tatua Samoa.[15] He was defeated in the resulting by-election.[16]

References
  1. Alan Ah Mu (17 December 2008). "Tautua Samoa officially launched". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  2. Pio Sioa (17 December 2008). "Tautua Samoa Party is now official". SamoaLive Newsline. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  3. Pio Sioa (2 May 2008). "Asiata released, Le Mamea AWOL". Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  4. "Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi profile". Parliament of Samoa official website. Archived from the original on 24 August 2007. Retrieved 4 March 2009. External link in |work= (help)
  5. "Samoa court dismisses another election petition". Radio New Zealand International. 11 August 2006. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  6. "Call on Samoan government to retain Radio 2AP". Radio New Zealand International. 18 January 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  7. Lua Salei (4 February 2009). "Tautua Samoa Leader Worry About Police Credibility". SamoaLive Newsline. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  8. "Opposition MPs in Samoa urge small political parties to unite for a coalition". Radio New Zealand International. 26 November 2008. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  9. "Samoa: In Brief". 54 (12). Keesings Record of World Events. December 2008. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Pio Sioa (6 May 2008). "No Bi-Elections – Speaker". SamoaLive Newsline. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  11. "Samoa's Parliamentary speaker orders new political party to declare caucus members". Radio New Zealand International. 25 January 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  12. Pio Sioa (28 April 2008). "Leaderless, nameless party formed". SamoaLive Newsline. Retrieved 4 March 2009.
  13. "By-elections to be called in Samoa for nine vacant parliamentary seats". Radio New Zealand International. 31 May 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  14. "Change of heart forces new Samoa by-elections", ABC Radio Australia, 31 May 2009
  15. Alan Ah Mu (18 March 2010). "Va'ai springs election shock". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  16. Marieta Heidi Ilalio (15 May 2010). "Palu stays, Ale reigns". Samoa Observer. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 15 May 2010.
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