Te Pāti Māori MPs Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, who were both expelled from the party last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Te Pāti Māori MPs Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi, who were both expelled from the party last year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Mariameno Kapa-Kingi is leaving Te Pāti Māori to start her own political party.
Te Pāti Māori said it wished Kapa Kingi well and would announce its candidate to go up against Kapa-Kingi in the Te Tai Tokerau seat in due course.
The MP’s split from the party comes aftera turbulent past year, which culminated in Kapa-Kingi being expelled from Te Pāti Māori, along with Te Tai Tonga MP Tākuta Ferris.
Kapa-Kingi successfully challenged the legitimacy of her expulsion in court and was reinstated by a judge to her party. However, this latest announcement sees her again part ways with the party.
“Te Tai Tokerau Party is here,” Kapa-Kingi said in a video posted on social media.
Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi during a stand-up 1t Parliament in 2025. Photo /Mark Mitchell
“It is a new and refreshed expression of Te Tiriti o Waitangi [Treaty of Waitangi] me te Whakaputanga [and the 1835 Declaration of Independence of New Zealand]. It is mana motuhake [self-determination] live and in action.”
The party would be a “platform for the needs and aspirations of our whānau”.
She said further details, including policies, would be announced shortly.
In the video, Kapa-Kingi urged people to sign up as financial members. Political parties in New Zealand need at least 500 current financial members to register for the election.
She also called for volunteers to support the party.
MPs Tākuta Ferris and Mariameno Kapa-Kingi at Parliament. Photo / Mark Mitchell
TPM: ‘We wish Mariameno well’
Te Pāti Māori president John Tamihere did not comment when approached by the Herald.He referred all queries to the party’s co-leaders, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Rawiri Waititi.
In a statement, Te Pāti Māori said it respected the right of whānau, hapū, iwi, rohe (regions) and candidates to determine their own political pathway.
“We wish Mariameno well ... Our focus remains clear. Te Pāti Māori will contest all seven Māori electorates in 2026. We have five confirmed candidates in Hana-Rāwhiti Maipi-Clarke, Oriini Kaipara, Rawiri Waititi, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer and Haley Maxwell, with our full team to be announced in due course.”
Te Pāti Māori is yet to confirm who will stand in the Northland seat and who will contest the South Island Māori seat of Te Tai Tonga, which is currently held by former Te Pāti Māori MP Tākuta Ferris, who was also expelled from the party alongside Kapa-Kingi. He holds the seat as an independent.
“Our movement is bigger than any one seat, candidate or moment. We are here to remove this Government, restore balance to Aotearoa and build a future where whānau Māori are housed, fed, cared for, protected, connected to whakapapa and empowered to thrive.
“There is no one-term Government without Te Pāti Māori. We are prepared to work with anyone serious about removing this Government and advancing the aspirations of our people.”
Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.
