More than 500 women dressed in white marched peacefully on Monday morning at Mulinuu to show their support for the addition of a sixth woman to Parliament and increasing women's representation.  

The long line of women, young people, and children started their journey from in front of the Congregational Christian Church of Samoa (C.C.C.S) Maota o Tupulaga hall and walked a route that took them to the courthouse. The march led to the road being blocked off by Police officers early on Monday.

The crowd marched to show its support for an additional sixth woman, Aliimalemanu Alofa Tuuau, who was that morning set to argue that she should be installed in Parliament because a constitutional provision requiring at least 10 per cent of M.P.s be women had not been met.  

According to one of the women that marched, Sapi Nanai, her heart is for peace in Samoa.

“I support the cause for women's empowerment because I think it is important,” she said. 

The 66-year-old said she wanted to show her support for the addition of an extra woman to the Parliament.   

“I came by my village’s bus around 4:30am in the morning,” said the mother-of-seven from Falelatai.

“I traveled with some of our village chiefs and women’s committee members while the untitled men are assigned to guard and protect Samoa’s Head of State.”

Another supporter, Siauga Leana from Saanapu, echoed those sentiments. 

The 73-year-old traveled by bus leaving her village around 5 am.

She said that there should be peace and harmony in our country because it is founded on God.

“We are trying to seek harmony if we speak of the Bible but [if] there is no love then everything is useless,” she said.

The mother-of-four said that the current political crisis did not reflect Samoan values. 

“The overseas countries are well aware of the current status that our country is in, we have succeeded thanks to the Government led by Tuilaepa because in those days there was great poverty, no cars," she said. 

“That is why we have come today to show our support for [the Human Rights Protection Party (H.R.P.P.)] because our country will prosper under their rule especially for the future."

She also made reference to a recent statement on television made by the former Chief Justice, Patu Falefatu Sapolu, on the constitution.

“He clearly stated that there has to be six women, this is why we are here to support Aliimalemanu," she said.

Patu nominated to run for the Human Rights Protection Party in the April election but was told to remain in New Zealand, where he is receiving medical treatment, on doctor's orders. 

Faleata No. 3 M.P. Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi said that the women's march was organised by Samoan women but that the H.R.P.P. also joined the occasion because Aliimalemanu was their candidate. 

"It was a march for all the women of Samoa that's why they wore white which our women supporters also joined but the H.R.P.P. leader called its supporters to brief them of what has happened," he said. 

"We started distributing a petition on Saturday to ask the Supreme Court of Appeal to stick with what's been outlined in the constitution, so far we have over 10,000 signatures at the moment, there is also one online.

"Today was to show support for all the women, empowering women and to encourage them to participate in leadership. The voice of women is very vital in any community and country." 

The question of whether adding Aliimalemanu would remedy the shortfall of women has already unanimously been decided against by the Supreme Court but will this week be decided upon by the Court of Appeal. 

The addition of another M.P., Aliimalemanu, would change the current balance of power in Parliament significantly and bring the nation back into an ungovernable 26-all political deadlock.  

The prospective M.P. was seen taking part in the march with other H.R.P.P. women candidates. The peaceful march also included men dressed in blue and some of the nation's senior public service including Land and Titles Authority chief Taatialeoitiiti Agnes Tutuvanu-Schwalger. 

Busses were seen bringing in the crowds from different villages in Upolu and Savaii supporters that just arrived from the morning ferry.  

The women smiled and danced near the roadside while holding onto their posters. Some of the posters stated "Justice for women" and "women's empowerment" among other slogans.  

More than 20 Police officers were on duty keeping the peace. 

The H.R.P.P. set up tents at the Malae o Tiafau in front of Samoa's Parliament House. 

At around 10 am more than one thousand H.R.P.P. supporters had gathered following the Caretaker Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi who made an address to the gathered supporters.