MP Akosita Lavulavu, the only female Member of Parliament of Tonga was officially sworn in at a special ceremony in Parliament this morning.
The 32-year-old won the Vavaʻu 16 constituency by-election last month.
“I am pretty excited and confident to start this new job knowing I have the support of my constituency,” she told the Parliament’s news.
She is prepared for her duty.
“Whether you are male or female MP, I am confident to perform my duties focusing on helping my electorates and the people in general,” she said.
The Speaker of Parliament, Lord Tu’ivakano warmly welcomed the first woman to be democratically elected to Parliament since Tonga’s new political system came into force in 2010.
The former principal of ‘Unuaki ‘o Tonga Royal Institute was elected after her husband ‘Etuate Lavulavu was disqualified as an MP and former government minister by a court decision for bribery during his 2014 election campaign.
Lavulavu holds a Bachelor in Information System from Brigham Young University (BYU), Hawaii in 2007 and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of the South Pacific (USP) in 2012.
