Melanesian Alliance Party

Melanesian Alliance Party
LeaderJoseph Yopyyopy
PresidentJames Chamilou
General SecretaryMek Onguglo [1]
FounderJohn Momis and John Kaputin
Political positionCentre-left
National Parliament
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The Melanesian Alliance Party is a political party in Papua New Guinea.

The party was co-founded by John Momis and John Kaputin in the late 1970s.[2]

The party formed an association with the National Alliance Party prior to the 1997 general election, but relaunched as a separate party in February 2002 with three founding National Alliance members: Bernard Narokobi, Sir Moi Avei, and Dame Carol Kidu.[3][4][5] Narokobi resumed the leadership, but lost his seat at the 2002 election.[6]

It returned three MPs at the 2002 election: Sir Moi Avei (Kairuku-Hiri Open), Anderson Vele (Rigo Open) and Dame Carol Kidu (Moresby South Open).[7] Avei assumed the leadership; however, he was replaced by Kidu in May 2007 after a leadership tribunal recommended Avei's dismissal from office.[8] She was the sole MP returned for the party at the 2007 election.[9] She retired at the 2012 election.[10][11]

Kidu was succeeded as leader by Sam Akoitai for the 2012 election campaign; however, the party won no seats at the election. A subsequent offer from party secretary Nick Klapat for an independent MP to take the party leadership was not taken up.[12][13]

The party is registered to contest the 2017 election.[14] Wosera-Gaui MP Joseph Yopyyopy, formerly of the United Resources Party, was named party leader for the election.[1]

  1. ^ a b "REGISTRY OF POLITICAL PARTIES" (PDF). Integrity of Political Parties and Candidates Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 April 2017. Retrieved 11 April 2017.
  2. ^ Lal, Brij V.; Fortune, Kate (January 2000). "John Momis biography". The Pacific Islands: an encyclopedia. ISBN 9780824822651. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  3. ^ "Speaker may be replaced today". PNG Post Courier. 10 December 2001.
  4. ^ "Papua New Guinea - Melanesian Alliance launches comeback". The National. 7 February 2002.
  5. ^ "Sir Michael surprised at move". PNG Post-Courier. 11 February 2002.
  6. ^ "Papua New Guinea "father of parliament", speaker lose seats". The National. 9 July 2002.
  7. ^ "NATIONAL ELECTION 2002". PNG Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 14 October 2002. Retrieved 2 January 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  8. ^ "Kidu to head party". PNG Post Courier. 14 May 2007.
  9. ^ "Dame Carol wants to continue work". PNG Post Courier. 6 August 2007.
  10. ^ "Kidu defends move to Opps". PNG Post Courier. 6 February 2012.
  11. ^ "PNG farewells a great dame". Sydney Morning Herald. 16 May 2012.
  12. ^ "MA party invites members". PNG Post Courier. 9 August 2012.
  13. ^ "MA leader lashes out". PNG Post Courier. 2 April 2012.
  14. ^ "Total number of parties 34: Gelu". The National. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 2 January 2017.