Third woman MP

By ISAIAH IGISH and GYNNIE KERO
FRANCESCA Riana Semoso, who became the third woman to be elected into the 11th Parliament after winning the North Bougainville by-election, is supporting the push for independence by Bougainvilleans.
“My election into the national parliament is history in the making for Bougainville,” she told The National last night from Buka.
“I wanted to win to push for Bougainville’s aspiration.
“Parliament has been shying away from ratifying Bougainville’s 97.7 per cent vote for independence in the 2019 referendum.”
Semoso, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives in Autonomous Region of Bougainville, was declared the winner with an absolute majority of 14,800 votes, beating United Resource Party candidate and former North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi with 13,000-plus votes.
The Malasang villager on Buka Island is expected to be in Port Moresby this week.
According to the Electoral Commission, the writ for North Bougainville is expected to be returned to Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae tomorrow (Wednesday).
Semoso joins Central Governor Rufina Peter and Rai Coast MP Kessy Sawang as the three women MPs in Parliament.
She said: “It has taken 48 years for North Bougainville to elect a woman as their national leader.
“The people of Bougainville need an articulate voice in parliament. A voice that has been missing for the past three years.”
Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama described her as a seasoned politician and a staunch advocate of “Bougainville’s desire for political independence from Papua New Guinea”. Toroama said Semoso was elected twice as the woman representative for North Bougainville in the House of Representatives. The first time was in the First House and second in the Third House.
“For more than a year, people of North Bougainville were deprived of the right of representation in the National Parliament after the untimely passing of the late William Nakin,” he said.
“Semoso is a strong advocate of social issues, and progressive development and an even stauncher advocate of Bougainville’s desire for political independence from Papua New Guinea. She will champion Bougainville’s Independence aspirations in Parliament to the best of her ability.”
He called on Bougainville’s leaders in the National Parliament and the Autonomous Bougainville Government to “unite under one cause – delivering our people’s ultimate desire for an independent sovereign state of Bougainville”.
Pangu Party leader and Prime Minister James Marape said the election of Semoso was a resounding testament to Pangu’s commitment to promoting women’s leadership in PNG. It increases the party’s MPs to 54.
“Semoso has exhibited exceptional leadership in Bougainville, where she has been actively engaged with the community, particularly among women, who play vital roles in both traditional and contemporary cultures on Bougainville.”