The nation is at a strange point in its history. Never before have the opposition and the unsatisfied faction of the government rallied their support behind the leader and ensured that a prime minister who commands a minority commands a majority.

It is as strange as it sounds—the members of the La’aulii Leuatea Schmidt-led Faʻatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) Party voted to keep Fiame Naomi Mataafa as prime minister and then turned around and filed a motion of their own to remove her and only to be defeated by the opposition. This is why politics in Samoa never fails to entertain.

The FAST motion of no-confidence was based on the idea that Speaker Papalii Lio Masipau would allow the motion to be heard after the amendments in the Electoral Act had been agreed but that backfired for Laauli and his crew. The bias by the Speaker was so obvious that it became the second man-made structure visible from the moon after the Great Wall of China.

This motion by the FAST also relied on the far-fetched idea that Fiame could be removed and replaced by one of their cronies. If it was not Laauli, then the backing had been given to Mulipola Anarosa Ale-Molioo. The idea was to replace one woman leader with another. No disrespect to the former cabinet minister, there is no way she is leader material irrespective of being voted in by her constituency. Signing an agreement with the Chinese bitcoin companies is a fine example of why she cannot lead the nation. She is still to explain her actions and she is also yet to explain why a staff of her ministry, a public servant was seen violating the public service code of conduct during the FAST world tour.

The general elections in 2026 will be held according to schedule. This means that parliament would be dissolved in January next year to allow for campaigning and all other things associated with the national polls. Both political parties are aware that rushing into the polls does not help any of them. So why the hoo-ha? Mostly, because the political parties need to be seen causing noise.

On 3 January 2025, the politics of the nation took a turn. The man who considered himself the real leader of the nation was shocked when he was charged by the police for crimes that he thought he was allegedly untouchable for. This action proved that the police operated independently and were not influenced by politics. Many may not see this but this is a tick for the police in terms of transparency, accountability and good governance.

However, it is worrying that the charges were delayed from the initial date. It also goes to show that being a member of parliament or a cabinet minister does not empower anyone to make defamatory comments or unsubstantiated allegations. People in authority need to realise that they are fact-checked and their allegations verified.

The nation needs its voters to get informed. Voters need to stop voting for candidates who are matai in their villages or districts and start voting for people who would make a difference for them rather than act for their own good. People need to realise the value of their vote is more than the ‘gift’ they get during elections.

The real value of their vote is the change in their lives and the lives of their children. Voting gives you the power to create positive change for your community and determine a better quality of life for you and your family. Voting together with your neighbours, family, and friends ensures that your shared values and issues are prioritised, and that you play a key role in choosing who represents us, and where government funding and resources will go. The more we vote, the more powerful our voices become, and the likelier the issues that are important to us will be heard.

We need a better Samoa, better leaders and better quality of life and our votes will see that happen.