Who Is Fiame Naomi Mataafa? Politician Set To Be Samoa's First Female Prime Minister

Who Is Fiame Naomi Mataafa: Fiame Naomi Mataafa is about to make history as she is set to become the first female Prime Minister of Samoa.

Her seat was almost confirmed after a court in Samoa overruled the incumbent government leader, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi's, attempt to void the results from the April elections. The court also quashed the additional parliamentary seat created by the election commission which would have given a slight majority to the incumbent government.

Naomi Mataafa celebrated the court's decision on Monday along with her followers, who were all dressed in red, outside the court. She called it a day to give "thanks to God and to all of you for having the heart for this country”.

Naomi Mataafa added, "This is not about you or me, this is about the future of Samoa and protecting our inheritance of our ancestors."

Who is Fiame Naomi Mataafa?: Here what we know about her

• Mataafa is the daughter of independent Samoa's first Prime Minister, Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II.
• She served as the Deputy Prime Minister of the incumbent Prime Minister's party, HRPP. Later she resigned.
• Mataafa did her graduation from Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand. She also completed her postgraduation in Political Science in New Zealand.
• When she was the Deputy Prime Minister, she was the first female cabinet member in Samoa.
• Since 1985, she has been a Member of Parliament from Samoa's Lotofaga district. This means that she represents the same district for at least eight terms.
• In the past, she had held important ministerial positions such as the Minister of Justice and Court Administration, Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development, Film censorship, electoral commission and Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture.
• According to reports by news agencies, Mataafa currently holds a slim majority in the 51-member parliament of Samoa.

Reacting to the new development in Samoa's political landscape, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said, “It is certainly a meaningful thing when you see a historic decision made when the office is held by a woman."