Kiribati

The Foreign Minister has hit back at comments by a Kiribati government minister that the island nation's leader failed to receive him because of pre-planned commitments.

The visit by New Zealand's foreign minister "was cancelled by NZ itself" but blame is falling on Kiribati's president, a Cabinet minister in Taaneti Maamau's government says.

Victoria University's Jon Fraenkel says "there are difficulties in the relationship between Wellington and Kiribati" but "Kiribati does have alternatives" both in Beijing and elsewhere.

An opposition MP in Kiribati said the Budget did not include any funding for the commitments made in the president's manifesto.

High Court Judge David Lambourne was forced out of the country earlier this year following a dispute with the government.

David Lambourne left the country in May this year after a lengthy battle with the government, which wanted him out.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was the first Pacific leader to congratulate Maamau on Saturday.

Kiribati's president-elect Taneti Maamau arrived back in the capital Tarawa from his home island of Onotoa on Monday morning, ahead of his party's planned victory celebrations tonight.

Late drama has unfolded in the Kiribati presidential election with one of the three candidates from the ruling party breaking away to form his own alliance, challenging incumbent president.

There are three candidates for President: the man who has held the role for the past eight years, Taneti Maamau, along with Bauntaake Beia and Kaotitaake Kokoria.

The law states that the successful candidate will be held accountable to the commitments made during the electoral process to the Electoral Office.

The ruling Tokwaan Kiribati Party used its numbers in parliament to block any opposition candidates standing.

There will be three candidates - all from the same party, the ruling Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP) - after one TKP candidate, Riteta Iorome, was dropped.

Notices were published by electoral districts across the country on Friday.

Kiribati is preparing for a presidential election next month, but all four candidates chosen by parliament, are from the dominant party in the new parliament, the Tobwaan Kiribati Party (TKP).

Willie Tokataake, who was the minister for Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy in the last parliament, but who lost his seat in last month's poll, was elected Speaker on Friday.

The 45 MPs are required to make nominations of up to three people who will then campaign for the presidency.

Kiribati's education minister has fired back at claims that parliament's decision to remove High Court Judge David Lambourne was politically motivated.