Preliminary election results show tight competition in Kiribati city seats

Kiribati 2024 election vote counting. August 15, 20204
photo: Facebook / Tulua Kiki Timau

Preliminary election results The elections in Tarawa, Kiribati’s capital, and its surrounding constituencies are highly competitive, but the situation is the opposite in the outer islands.

Radio Kiribati Among those who reportedly retained their seats in the interim results were incumbent President Taneti Mamao of Onotoa and opposition leader Tessi Elia Lambourne of Abemama.

Six MPs from the last parliament, including a cabinet minister, reportedly lost their seats.

Tarawa state elected council official Eddie Karoua told RNZ Pacific on Friday that most seats in the capital were likely to go to a runoff on Monday – where no candidate would reach the 50 per cent threshold to win outright.

“In the outer islands, they have finished counting the votes, but in Tarawa, it is difficult to tell because both sides are competing,” Karua said.

“So by Monday we will know which side will win.”

In the runoff elections on Monday, the candidate with the highest support in each constituency will face off against the declared winner with the highest support.

This means that in the midst of Kiribati elections, new members of parliament could have significant influence.

According to the Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs, there are nearly 53,000 registered voters and 114 candidates in 23 constituencies.

Kiribati has only two political parties: the ruling Tobwan Kiribati Party (TKP), led by current President Mamau, and the Butokan Kiribati Moa (BKM), led by Lambourne.

The others are non-partisans who do not belong to any political party and are very secretive about their backgrounds.

RNZ Pacific’s Tarawa correspondent Rimon Rimon said judging by the results so far, the ruling TKP, led by current President Maamau, said independents could be a factor.

“Because many candidates appear in the election results, if they all form the opposition, then it will be a fair fight,” he said.

“Otherwise, it could end up being a repeat of the last parliament where the Turkish Communist Party had a majority.”

All eligible voters will participate in the second round of voting on Monday.

Final results are expected to be announced on Tuesday morning.