Forty-eight (48) former Members of Parliament (MPs) are seeking re-election on the 17th April Joint National General Elections 2024.
This was revealed via a research report produced by the Media Association of Solomon Islands (MASI).
A total of six former Members of Provincial Assemblies (MPAs) out of the nine provincial assemblies are contesting the national parliamentary seats.
The former MPAs include Francis Sade of Saghalu Ward and Premier for Guadalcanal Province. Mr Sade is contesting the parliamentary seat for North West Guadalcanal constituency.
Current sitting MPA for ward 25 Nono of Western Provincial Assembly Hon, Eric Hitu is the only MPA amongst six other contenders from Western Province contesting the Marovo parliamentary seat.
Also, four former Makira Provincial Assembly members are contesting namely Davis Mamae who was the former MPA for ward 1 of North Ulawa and George Takeli – former MPA for ward 2 of South Ulawa. Both Mamae and Takeli are contesting the Ulawa/Ugi parliamentary seat.
The former MPA for West Wainoni ward 12 Mr Andrew Max Higa is amongst the 17 candidates contesting the North East Makira parliamentary seat whilst Mathew Taro MPA for Haununu ward 20 will fight for the West Makira parliamentary seat.
“East Makira constituency has registered the highest number of candidates contesting a single parliamentary seat,” the report highlighted.
The report further stated that John Wesly Fenua who contested the new Anuta Ward 18 seat in the Temotu Provincial Assembly and James Teimana Leo who was the former MPA for ward 6 Tirotonga of Isabel Provincial Assembly both have stood unopposed.
The MASI brief also stated that a total of 822 candidates are contesting for a seat in the seven provincial assemblies.
The total provincial assembly seats for all the 9 provincial governments is 172.
The total Provincial Assembly seats for the (7) provincial assemblies in the 17th April 2024 joint elections is (132), excluding Choiseul and Western Provincial assemblies who will not go to the polls until 2028.
However, two former MPs decided not to contest their seats in the upcoming elections.
They are Lannele Olandrea Tanaganda and Ethel Claudia Vokia of Gizo/Kolombangara and North East Guadalcanal respectively.
They are replaced by their husbands to defend their seats.
By Samson Sade
Solomon Star, Honiara
