Taneti Maamau in pole position to be president again as Kiribati's lawmakers choose speaker

The Kiribati parliament, dominated by the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP), has used its numbers to name, from its ranks, the only candidates for the presidential election.

The TKP has 33 out of the 45 candidates in its rank. A poll is to be conducted next month.

The four presidential candidates include the man considered most likely to retain his position for another four year term, Taneti Maamau. (Onotoa).

The other three have been called dummy candidates. They are Bauntaake Beia (Tabuaeran), Riteta Iorome (Onotoa), and Kaotitaake Kokoria (Tabuaeran).

The opposition leader in the last parliament, Tessie Lambourne, and a new MP from Tarawa, Birimwake Tekanene, were put forward as well, but a lack of votes ended their chances.

Friday was the first sitting of the new parliament and after MPs were sworn in a Speaker was elected.

This was Willie Tokataake, who was the minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy in the last parliament, but who lost his seat in last month's poll.