Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai Explained

Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai
Office14:Member of the Samoan Parliament for Vaʻa-o-Fonoti
Term Start14:24 October 2023
Predecessor14:Vacant
Term Start15:9 April 2021
Term End15:19 July 2023
Predecessor15:Tialavea Tionisio Hunt
Successor15:Vacant

Mauʻu Siaosi Puʻepuʻemai (born ca. 1972)[1] is a Samoan politician. He is a member of the Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party.

Mauʻu was raised in Fagaloa before moving to American Samoa.[1] After returning to Samoa in the 1990s he opened a pizza shop, car rental business, and kava farm.[1] [2] He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in the April 2021 Samoan general election, defeating four other candidates to win the seat of Vaʻa o Fonoti.[1]

Maʻu resigned from the HRPP on 25 November 2022 to become an independent, citing a request to do so by his constituents.[3] Following a court challenge, their seats were declared vacant on 19 July 2023.[4] He was subsequently endorsed as a FAST candidate in the resulting by-election.[5] Mauʻu won with a commanding majority. His win, along with FAST victories in the simultaneous by-elections in the Siʻumu and Faleata No. 4 constituencies, handed FAST a two-thirds majority in parliament.[6] Mauʻu was sworn back into parliament on 24 October 2023.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Mauʻu guaranteed a seat in XVII Parliament . Soli Wilson . Samoa Observer . 15 April 2021 . 15 April 2021.
  2. Web site: Fake kava warning . Fiji Times . 14 October 2014 . 15 April 2021.
  3. News: BREAKING NEWS: Another HRPP Member of Parliament resigns . 25 November 2022 . Talamua Online . 25 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221125025952/https://talamua.com/2022/11/25/breaking-news-another-hrpp-member-of-parliament-resigns/ . 25 November 2022. live. Apia.
  4. News: MPs Ale, Tuu'u and Mau'u to head to by-election . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 19 July 2023 . 19 July 2023.
  5. News: F.A.S.T. to endorse resigned M.Ps . Samoa Observer . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . 21 July 2023 . 21 July 2023.
  6. News: Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi . F.A.S.T. trio dominate poll results . 24 October 2023 . Samoa Observer . 16 September 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230918095801/https://www.samoaobserver.ws/category/samoa/105654 . 18 September 2023. live.
  7. News: Lagi Keresoma . Three New FAST Members of Parliament Sworn-In . 24 October 2023 . Talamua Online . 24 October 2023 . https://archive.today/20231024101848/https://talamua.com/2023/10/24/three-new-fast-members-of-parliament-sworn-in/ . 24 October 2023. live . Apia.