In the intricate dance of Tongan politics, where tradition and democracy often step on each other’s toes, a recent campaign event for the Tongatapu 10 by-election has become a case study in potential political miscalculation. The candidate, Tulutulu Mafuaiolotele Kalaniuvalu, a scion of a noble line, finds his bid for a people’s representative seat mired in controversy not entirely of his own making, but stemming from the actions of an unlikely figure: the District Officer for Lapaha, Siosifa Lamipeti.
The District Officer’s role is, in principle, an administrative one—a link between government and the people, expected to maintain a degree of impartiality. However, at a campaign event endorsing Tulutulu, Lamipeti stepped squarely into the political arena. His speech, reportedly committing all 12 Town Officers of the district to accommodate the candidate, was a bold move. On the surface, it was a display of formidable local support. But beneath that surface, it has ignited a firestorm of criticism.
The core of the controversy lies in the perception of an unfair advantage. By seemingly mobilising the government-appointed village leadership structure for a specific candidate, the District Officer has created an optics problem. It paints a picture of the state apparatus being leveraged for a political campaign, a look that is rarely good for a democracy and one that can alienate voters who value a fair and level playing field.
Compounding this, Lamipeti’s speech included a significant name-drop that of Lord Tuivakano, who was present to lend his support. The reasoning, as implied, was the powerful “Kalaniuvalu” name. This double-barrelled endorsement—from a high-ranking noble and the district’s chief administrator—was likely intended to project an image of unstoppable, top-down support. Yet, in the unique context of Tongatapu 10, this strategy may be fundamentally flawed.
The Ghost of Vaini 10: A Pro-Democracy Stronghold
To understand why, one must look at the electoral history of this constituency. Since the dawn of Tonga’s democratic reforms in 2010, Tongatapu 10 (which includes the villages of Lapaha and Talasiu) has been a steadfast stronghold of the late ‘Akilisi Pohiva and his Democratic movement. The late Pohiva’s legacy is not just remembered here; it is a living, breathing part of the constituency’s political identity. The current MP, until the by-election, was from this very bloc.
This is a seat that has consistently voted for the “commoner” candidate, for the voice of the people over the interests of the nobility. The voters of Tongatapu 10 have a proven track record of prioritizing platforms of democratic reform and social accountability over traditional allegiances. No candidate with direct links to the nobility has yet managed to win the people’s mandate here.
Therefore, a campaign strategy that prominently features noble endorsement and the mobilisation of traditional authority structures risks being tone-deaf. Instead of appealing to the constituency’s demonstrated values, it appears to be trying to override them. For voters, it can feel less like an invitation and more like an imposition—a reminder of the very power dynamics they have historically voted to balance.
