Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo

The Honourable
Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo
Minister of Communications and Information Technology
Incumbent
Assumed office
24 May 2021[a]
Prime MinisterFiamē Naomi Mataʻafa
Preceded byAfamasaga Rico Tupai
Member of the Samoan Parliament
for Falealili No. 1
Incumbent
Assumed office
9 April 2021
Preceded byAumua Isaia Lameko
Personal details
Political partyFa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi

Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo is a Samoan politician and Cabinet Minister. He is a member of the Fa'atuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi party.[1]

Onesemo was educated at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, obtaining a bachelor's and master's degree in civil engineering, as well as the University of the South Pacific, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science and a teaching certificate.[2] He worked as a teacher in Samoa from 1994 to 1999, and since 2002 has served as a public servant.[2] In 2015 he was appointed chief executive of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure.[2]

He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of Samoa in the April 2021 Samoan general election, winning the seat of Falealili No. 1.[3]

On 24 May 2021 he was appointed Minister of Communications and Information Technology in the elected cabinet of Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa.[4] The appointment was disputed by the caretaker government. On 23 July 2021 the Court of Appeal ruled that the swearing-in ceremony was constitutional and binding, and that FAST had been the government since 24 May.[5]


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  1. ^ "First FAST Cabinet Down to Work – When the Impossible Happens". Talamua Online. 29 July 2021. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 5 September 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Soli Wilson (28 October 2020). "Former Works C.E.O. eyes seat in Parliament". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  3. ^ Soli Wilson (15 April 2021). "Former M.W.T.I. chief takes Falealili No.1". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
  4. ^ Marieta H Ilalio (25 May 2021). "Fiame Sworn in as Prime Minister under Marquees on Parliament Grounds". Samoa Global News. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  5. ^ Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong (23 July 2021). "F.A.S.T. declared new Government as appeal upheld". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 23 July 2021.