Kiribati elections 2024 vote counting. 15 August 20204 Photo: Facebook / Tulua Kiki Timau
Preliminary election results in Kiribati are showing close contests for constituencies in and around the capital Tarawa, but the opposite in outer island electorates.
Radio Kiribati says among those reportedly retaining their seats in interim results are the incumbent president, Taneti Maamau, in Onotoa, and the opposition leader, Tessie Eria Lambourne in Abemama.
Six MPs from the last parliament, including one cabinet minister, are reported to have lost their seats.
An elected council official on Tarawa, Eddie Karoua, told RNZ Pacific on Friday that most seats in the capital look likely to go to the runoff round on Monday - with no candidates clearing the 50 percent threshold for an outright win.
"In the outer islands they [have] already completed the [counting], but on Tarawa it is very difficult to say because both sides are competing," Karoua said.
"So, we will know by Monday which side is going to win."
In the runoff round on Monday, the top polling candidates in each electorate will go head-to-head with those polling the highest declared winners.
It means, at the midway point in the Kiribati election, newcomers to parliament could hold significant sway.
According to the Ministry of Culture and Internal Affairs, there are almost 53,000 registered voters, and 114 candidates across 23 constituencies.
There are only two political parties in Kiribati; the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP) of incumbent President Maamau and Lambourne's Boutokaan Kiribati Moa (BKM).
The others are independents who do not belong to either party keep their cards close to chest.
RNZ Pacific's correspondent in Tarawa, Rimon Rimon, said in results so far, the ruling TKP party of incumbent President Maamau said the independents are likely to be a factor
"Because a lot of them are appearing in the results and if they all form up as an opposition then that would be a fair fight," he said.
"Otherwise, it could replicate what we had in the previous [parliament] where the TKP had the majority."
All eligible voters will be casting ballots for the second round of voting on Monday.
Final results is expected to be released on Tuesday morning.