'Newbies' hold the balance of power in Kiribati parliament

Sixteen candidates, including three women, have forced their way into the Kiribati parliament, Maneaba ni Maungatabo, for the first time following two rounds of voting in the country's national election.

With the count completed on Tuesday, the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP) is leading the race in the House of Assembly.

However, with only 18 seats secured, the TKP, led by incumbent President Taneti Maamau, will need to convince at least four Independent MPs to join their camp and form the government, local investigative journalist Rimon Rimon says.

The media consultant told Pacific Mornings' William Terite that while the 16 new MPs are unknown to many people, it is also unclear which party they will align themselves with for the popular vote - when parliament elects the president.

Watch Rimon Rimon's interview below.

Kiribati is located some 4700km north of New Zealand with a population of just over 130,000. The low-lying Micronesian atoll is one of the most vulnerable islands to the effects of the climate crisis including sea-level rise.

Maamau looks set to retain his presidency after securing 80 per cent of the votes in Onotoa in the first round.

But that all depends on whether he can secure the 22 or more seats needed, Rimon says.

"I've been projecting this for a while, especially for these elections that, you know, the incumbent President Taneti Maamau and his party, TKP, have a strong chance of, you know, getting back into office and forming a new government.

"And the results of the elections which concluded yesterday confirmed that TKP members were leading the race. This is in comparison to the opposition counterparts who only had eight opposition members re-elected.

"I think the direction is going in that way. But Will, there are 16 new kids on the block, shall I say, you know, so these are new members who were elected.

"By new, I mean they don't have any, they are unknown, the party they will align themselves to. And so I think this will be a key group of people, candidates, or members to lobby and join.

"At the moment, with 18 members TKP needs a comfortable 22 or more than 23 members comfortably to form any government.

Counting has been completed in the Kiribati national election. Photo/Rimon Rimon

"I understand that on-the-ground lobbying is happening to get these new members to join the TKP, I believe."

Of the 45 MPs elected, 44 are voted in from 23 single and multi-member constituencies (seven with one seat, 11 with two seats, and five with three seats). The 45th MP is nominated by the Banaban community on Rabi Island in Fiji.

The Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs released the final results after the second round of voting on Monday to elect the 19 remaining MPs.

A record five female MPs have been elected into parliament, compared to four in the last election.

They include first-timers Ruth Cross Kwansing (South Tarawa), Lavinia Teatao Teem (Abaiang) and Ruta Baabo Manate (Maiana Island), former speaker Tangariki Reete (Betio), and opposition leader in the last parliament Tessie Lambourne (Abemama).

Manate, 35, is also the youngest female MP while Teem is the wife of veteran Kiritimati Island MP Jacob. The couple is also the first husband and wife to be elected together.

Kwansing, 45, was one of 18 female candidates and she told Terite that the campaign was nerve-wracking for her. "I haven't been able to relax at all. I haven't been able to sleep."

She said her campaign was based on three concepts, "three blessings from our forefathers - Te Mauri, Te Raoi, and Te Tabomoa, which means health, peace, and prosperity.

Photo/Rimon Rimon

"I fared remarkably well for the first time entering into this arena. I ended up coming second in the first round, and that includes all the incumbents from the government."

Three of the 14 MPs who lost their seats were cabinet ministers in Maamau's government.

Rimon said if Maamau returned to office, everyone could expect relations with China to continue.

Maamau switched Kitibati's allegiance from Taiwan to China in 2019 and Rimon said that doesn't look to change any time soon.

"I think when you talk about the Maumau presidency, we can say safely that they're going to continue the relationship with China.

"But for the past two terms in office, we haven't seen any of what you call concrete infrastructure projects promised by the president and his government to be funded, of course, by China.

"We haven't seen that. And so I think if they do get back into office and he leads as president we will see more of this unfold."

In an election that could hold profound implications, the i-Kiribati people have faced a turbulent period of strained relations with Pacific neighbours, tensions with traditional allies, and a continuing constitutional crisis.

The parliamentary presidential election is scheduled for next month.

Watch more from Rimon Rimon.