Taneti Maamau in pole position to be president again as Kiribati's lawmakers choose speaker

6:09 pm today

Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific Senior Journalist

Kiribatis President Taneti Maamau reacts during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on January 6, 2020.

Photo: AFP

The Kiribati parliament, dominated by the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP), has used its numbers to name, from its ranks, the only candidates for the presidential election.

The TKP has 33 out of the 45 candidates in its rank. A poll is to be conducted next month.

The four presidential candidates include the man considered most likely to retain his position for another four year term, Taneti Maamau. (Onotoa).

The other three have been called dummy candidates. They include; Bauntaake Beia (Tabuaeran), Riteta Iorome (Onotoa), and Kaotitaake Kokoria (Tabuaeran).

First-time MP Ruth Cross Kwansing at the swearing in ceremony. 13 September 2024. Photo: Supplied

The opposition leader in the last parliament, Tessie Lambourne, and a new MP from Tarawa, were put forward as well, but a lack of votes ended their chances.

Today was the first sitting of the new parliament and after MPs were sworn in a Speaker was elected.

This was Willie Tokataake, who was the minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy in the last parliament, but who lost his seat in last month's poll.