The Office of the Electoral Commission wishes to clarify comments made by a potential
candidate that any potential candidate who had rendered a monotaga “from 1997 to 1999” is
qualified to contest the General Elections in April 2021.
While OEC respects potential candidate’s freedom to express his views and his own
interpretation of the Electoral Act, our Office is not bound by those views and that
interpretation.
The true intention and spirit of the Electoral Act are clear in the sense that any person who
wishes to contest an election in Samoa, has to hold a registered matai under the Lands and
Titles Act 1981 and through that matai title, had rendered a monotaga to his or her village for
a period of three (3) consecutive years ending on the day that that person lodges his or her
nomination papers with the Electoral Commissioner.

Faimalomatumua Mathew Lemisio
ELECTORAL COMMISSIONER