24 Oct 2011

Campaigning begins for second round of Kiribati election

5:37 am on 24 October 2011

Campaigning begins today in the second round of the Kiribati parliamentary elections.

About half the country's seats have been decided, and the rest face a run-off election of the most popular candidates.

The first round saw six new MPs elected, and seven ministers face the second round.

Tokintekai Uereti will fight three others to retain his seat in the biggest electorate on South Tarawa.

He says the opposition needs to win at least 16 seats to be able to nominate a candidate for the presidential election.

"The Government is very strong in the last house, but here in Tarawa, the opposition is very strong. Most of the people are opposition."

Kiribati opposition candidate, Tokintekai Uereti

Two islands will hold their first round of voting today, after delays receiving ballot papers meant it had to be postponed.