Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi Explained

Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi
Office5:Member of the Samoan Parliament
Term Start5:9 April 2021
Predecessor5:Constituency established
Constituency5:Faleata 3
Term Start6:4 March 2011
Term End6:9 April 2021
Predecessor6:Ale Vena Ale
Successor6:Constituency abolished
Constituency6:Faleata West
Term Start7:31 March 2006
Term End7:14 May 2010
Predecessor7:Ulu Vaomalo Kini
Successor7:Ale Vena Ale
Constituency7:Faleata West
Office8:Chair of the Tautua Samoa Party
Status8:Interim
Term Start8:17 December 2008
Term End8:22 December 2010
Predecessor8:Party established
Successor8:Va'ai Papu Vailupe (as leader)
Birth Date:April 1967
Party:Human Rights Protection Party (2016–present)
Otherparty:Tautua Samoa Party (2008–2016)

Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi (born April 1967)[1] is a Samoan politician and member of the Legislative Assembly of Samoa. He is the founder of the Tautua Samoa Party.[2] [3]

Lealailepule was first elected to Parliament at the 2006 Samoan general election, representing the Faleata West (Faleata i Sisifo) as an independent.[4] [5] 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.[6]

As an independent, Lealailepule campaigned against the planned government sale of the public broadcaster Radio 2AP.[7] Since the formation of Tautua Samoa, he has also 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.[8]

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.[9] 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.[10] [11] The party was in January 2009 ordered to formally notify the Speaker of its existence and membership.[12] Establishing the party, Lealailepule expressed his intention to form a stronger and more effective opposition to the ruling Human Rights Protection Party.[13] 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".[14] [15] 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 Tautua Samoa.[16] He was defeated in the resulting by-election.[17] [18] He was re-elected at the 2011 election and appointed the Tautua Party's whip.[19] During this term he opposed the creation of reserved seats for women[20] and called for life imprisonment for drug smugglers.[21]

In February 2016 he announced that he was leaving the Tautua Samoa party and would run as a Human Rights Protection Party candidate in the 2016 election.[22] [23] He was successfully re-elected,[24] and appointed Associate Minister of Communications.[25] As Associate Minister he accused the United Nations of promoting same-sex marriage[26] and called for bloggers critical of the government to be hunted down.[27] [28]

Lealailepule ran again at the 2021 election and was elected unopposed.[29] [30]

On 31 January 2022 Lealailepule was suspended from parliament for 24 hours for making "misleading" public comments about a parliamentary investigation into the passage of the Land and Titles Bill and the Speaker's refusal to swear in MPs elected under the women's quota following the 2021 Samoan by-elections.[31]

On 23 March 2022 he was convicted alongside Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi of scandalising the court for his attacks on the judiciary during and following the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis.[32] [33] On 24 May 2022 both were suspended indefinitely from the Legislative Assembly after the Privileges Committee found that they had bought parliament into disrepute.[34] [35] On 30 August, the supreme court ruled the suspension to be unconstitutional.[36]

The privileges and ethics committee subsequently reviewed Tuilaʻepa's case and recommended that he and Lealailepule be re-suspended without pay for 24 months. The legislative assembly then approved the committee's motion on 19 October, with all present FAST members and one from the HRPP voting for it.[37] On 4 July 2023 the Supreme Court ruled that Tuilaʻepa and Lealailepule's suspension was unconstitutional and void.[38]

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Age just a number, Leala turns 50! . Ilia L. Likou . Samoa Observer . 9 April 2017 . 27 November 2020.
  2. News: Alan Ah Mu . 17 December 2008 . Tautua Samoa officially launched . Samoa Observer . 4 March 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607150016/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2407:tautua-samoa-officially-launched&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=53 . 7 June 2011 . dead .
  3. News: Pio Sioa . Tautua Samoa Party is now official . SamoaLive Newsline . 17 December 2008 . 4 March 2009 .
  4. News: Pio Sioa . Asiata released, Le Mamea AWOL . 2 May 2008 . 4 March 2009 .
  5. Web site: Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi profile . Parliament of Samoa . 4 March 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070824113750/http://www.parliament.gov.ws/popup_mop.cfm?mop=046 . 24 August 2007 .
  6. Web site: Samoa court dismisses another election petition . RNZ . 11 August 2006 . 27 November 2020.
  7. Web site: Call on Samoan government to retain Radio 2AP . RNZ . 18 January 2008 . 15 September 2020.
  8. Web site: Lua Salei . Tautua Samoa Leader Worry About Police Credibility . SamoaLive Newsline . 4 February 2009 . 4 March 2009 .
  9. Web site: Opposition MPs in Samoa urge small political parties to unite for a coalition . RNZ . 26 November 2008 . 15 September 2020 .
  10. Samoa: In Brief . Keesings Record of World Events . 54 . 12 . December 2008 .
  11. News: Pio Sioa . No Bi-Elections – Speaker . SamoaLive Newsline . 6 May 2008 . 4 March 2009 .
  12. Web site: Samoa’s Parliamentary speaker orders new political party to declare caucus members . RNZ . 25 January 2009 . 15 September 2020 .
  13. News: Pio Sioa . Leaderless, nameless party formed . SamoaLive Newsline . 28 April 2008 . 4 March 2009 .
  14. Web site: By-elections to be called in Samoa for nine vacant parliamentary seats . 31 May 2009 . RNZ . 15 September 2020.
  15. http://www.radioaustralianews.net.au/stories/200906/2585889.htm?desktop "Change of heart forces new Samoa by-elections"
  16. News: Va’ai springs election shock . Alan Ah Mu . Samoa Observer . 18 March 2010 . 19 March 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607142712/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20220&Itemid=62 . 7 June 2011 . dead .
  17. News: Palu stays, Ale reigns . Samoa Observer . Marieta Heidi Ilalio . 15 May 2010 . 15 May 2010 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110607144145/http://www.samoaobserver.ws/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22237&Itemid=62 . 7 June 2011 . dead .
  18. Web site: Tautua Samoa's Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi loses parliamentary seat . RNZ . 17 May 2010 . 27 November 2020.
  19. Web site: Tautua Samoa party re-elect leader . RNZ . 9 March 2011 . 27 November 2020.
  20. Web site: Samoa opposition questions need for more women in parliament . RNZ . 8 March 2012 . 27 November 2020.
  21. Web site: Samoa opposition irked by soft drug smuggler penalties . RNZ . 11 April 2013 . 27 November 2020.
  22. Web site: Samoa chief opposition whip crosses floor . RNZ . 8 February 2016 . 27 November 2020.
  23. Web site: Why I’ve switched - Leala . Sarafina Sanerivi . Samoa Observer . 7 February 2016 . 27 November 2020.
  24. Web site: Low voting turnout at Faleata West . Samoa Observer . Sarafina Sanerivi . 7 March 2016 . 27 November 2020.
  25. Web site: Bluesky welcomes M.C.I.T. minister . Vatapuia Maiava . Samoa Observer . 4 April 2016 . 27 November 2020.
  26. Web site: Associate Minister sounds same sex marriage alarm . Joyetter Luamanu . Samoa Observer . 29 November 2017 . 27 November 2020.
  27. Web site: Govt. urged to deal with ‘threat’ from within . Samoa Observer . 24 January 2018 . 27 November 2020.
  28. Web site: Samoan minister wants abusive bloggers hunted down . RNZ . 25 January 2018 . 27 November 2020.
  29. Web site: The 200 to contest 2021 general election . Soli Wilson . Samoa Observer . 23 October 2020 . 26 November 2020.
  30. Web site: Lealailepule secures seat in next Parliament sitting . Joyetter Feagaimaali'i . Samoa Observer . 28 November 2020 . 29 November 2020.
  31. Web site: My suspension was deliberate, says Leala . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 31 January 2022 . 31 January 2022.
  32. Web site: Court opts not to penalise Tuilaepa, Leala and Maiava . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . Samoa Observer . 23 March 2022 . 23 March 2022.
  33. Web site: Court finds former Samoa PM guilty of contempt . RNZ . 23 March 2022 . 23 March 2022.
  34. Web site: Committee seeks to suspend Tuilaepa and Leala indefinitely . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 24 May 2022 . 25 May 2022.
  35. Web site: Samoa's HRPP leader suspended indefinitely from Parliament . RNZ . 25 May 2022 . 25 May 2022.
  36. News: Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . Court voids Tuilaepa and Lealailepule indefinite suspension . 30 August 2022 . Samoa Observer . 30 August 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220830022430/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/99558 . 30 August 2022. live.
  37. News: Opposition MP voted to suspend Leader and Party Secretary . 21 October 2022 . Talamua Online . 19 October 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221021035114/https://talamua.com/2022/10/19/opposition-mp-voted-to-suspend-leader-and-party-secretary/?amp=1 . 21 October 2022 . live. Apia.
  38. Web site: Court voids Tuilaepa and Lealailepule suspension . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 4 July 2023 . 4 July 2023.

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