Samoa's first female prime minister sworn into office

Samoa's first female prime minister has been sworn into office in a tent after she was locked out of parliament by her opponent, who has refused to step down.

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa took the oath of office in a marquee in the parliament's gardens, leaving uncertainty over who controls the Pacific island nation.

Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, who has been Prime Minister for 22 years has ignored a court order to step down.

Mata'afa who is 64-years-old arrived at parliament yesterday expecting to be sworn in.

But the former deputy prime minister who arrived alongside the chief justice, found herself barred from the building, which had been locked by allies of Malielegaoi in advance of her arrival.

Instead, Mata'afa and members of her Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (Fast) party gathered in a marquee in parliament's gardens, in the capital Apia, with supporters looking on and were sworn in one by one.

In a statement, the Fast party said: "Democracy must prevail, always. There can be no exceptions from this fundamental principle. Those who claim otherwise and act accordingly play with fire."

The ad-hoc ceremony was rejected by rivals as unofficial.

Malielegaoi called the improvised swearing-in ceremony "illegal and unlawful".

The controversy comes a month after the closest-run general election in Samoa's history, which was followed by bitter disputes and legal challenges.