By Lagi Keresoma/
Apia, Samoa – 21 July 2025: The only female candidate running against four male candidates for the Vaimauga 4 seat, Tonu’u Fuamoli Amituana’i Misi has rubbished rumours that she had pulled out of the race.
The rumours are alleged to be spread by the committee of a certain election candidate who unsuccessfully ran for the seat in the 2021 general election.
Tonu’u’s committee told Talamua that they were surprised when several families at Alamagoto, Palisi and Lalovaea sub-villages approached them for clarification.
They have been told by the committee of a certain candidate that Tonu’u has pulled out of the race because she does not satisfy the required service – monotaga to the district and village hence her decision to pull out.
The committee then asked the families to lend support to their candidate because Tonu’u is not running.
Tonu’u voiced her disappointment at what she called “dirty tactics” used by people to entice voters.
Some of the families at Alamagoto are related to Tonu’u and nominated her and were surprised and angry at Tonu’u for not informing them of her decision to pull out but had to hear it from someone else.
Tonu’u has ensured her family and supporters at all villages that she is still a contender for the race under the Fa’atuatua I le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) party.
She is currently travelling with the party on their two-week roadshow now coming to the final week in Savaii.
At the closure of legal challenges against candidates last Friday, there was none against Tonu’u.
Tonu’u is a teacher by profession and was the youngest village mayor at the age of 20. She serves her monotaga at the villages of Alamagoto, Tufuiopa and Apia. She led the constituency’s $1M District Development Project and have already been given the blessing of the village councils of these villages to run.
She was selected by the village of Alamagoto to run for the election and is up against current caretaker Minister of Police, Faualo Harry Schuster, former Minister of Justice, Faaolosa Katopau Ainuu, Vaea Ivana Eli and Lima Gramme Tualaulelei, a former Clerk of the Legislative who was in office when parliament was locked and forced a FAST Government swearing in under a tent in May 2021. All are from the village of Apia.
