The Catholic Archbishop in Samoa has lashed out at the country's HRPP party, saying the country is sliding into dictatorship.
The Mulivai Immaculate Conception Cathedral, in Apia. Photo: RNZI/ Autagavaia Tipi Autagavaia
Samoa is locked in a constitutional crisis with the HRPP party refusing to concede defeat to the majority FAST party, following the 9 April election.
The conflict has played out largely in court, but HRPP leader Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi has to be "appointed by god", and said he does not believe the judiciary has any say over his party's authority to rule.
However, in an independence day sermon yesterday Archbishop Alapati Lui Mataeliga decried the state of affairs in the country.
Mataeliga directly addressed Tuila'epa, who was sitting in the front row at the cathedral, and said to him: 'Your time is done.'
Tuila'epa Sailele Malielegaoi. Photo: Screengrab
The Archbishop said the attempt to cling to power was undoing the work done by Samoa's forebears who shed their blood for independence.
The intervention by the leader of Samoa's second-largest church adds further weight to calls for Tuila'epa to concede.
In a further blow to Tuila'epa ambition, the Court of Appeal today voided HRPP's legal challenge to try to keep an additional MP appointed after the election to fill an extra women's seat.