Allan Kemakeza
Encyclopedia
Sir Allan Kemakeza KBE
(born 11 October 1950) was the seventh Prime Minister
of the Solomon Islands
from 2001 to 2006. He represented Savo/Russel Constituency in the National Parliament of Solomon Islands from 1989 to 2010 and was most recently Minister of Forestry December 2007 to August 2010. He currently serves as Speaker of the National Parliament
, since September 2010.
Kemakeza was born on the island of Savo
. He joined the police force in 1972 and served in various positions until he resigned in December 1988 in order to stand in the 1989 parliamentary election. He won a seat from Savo/Russel in that election, and in 1989 he was also appointed Minister for Police and Justice, serving in that position until 1990. From 1991 to 1993, he served as Minister for Housing and Government Services; he was re-elected in the May 1993 election and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1993 to 1994. He was Minister for Forests, Environment & Conservation from 1995 to 1996. Re-elected to Parliament in the August 1997 election, he became Deputy Leader of the Opposition again in that year.
In June 2000, Kemakeza was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace under Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare
. In August 2001, Kemakeza was sacked from these positions by Sogavare following allegations of corruption. Further controversy surfaced when he received SI$850,000 as part of a program compensating individuals who lost property during the Civil War. Kemakeza denies the allegations of corruption.
His People's Alliance Party
won 20 of 49 seats in the parliamentary election of 5 December 2001, becoming the largest party in parliament. He was elected as Prime Minister by Parliament on 17 December 2001 in the first round of voting, receiving 29 votes out of the 50 seats in parliament, and sworn in on 19 December 2001.
Before he became Prime Minister, there was much turmoil in the Solomon Islands because of rivalry between militias from the various islands, which reached its height in June 2000, when a coup took place. Problems still continue today, but Kemakeza's government allowed the international community, including peacekeepers, to help solve the problems.
An Australian led peace keeping force named RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands) is in place, based in Honiara
. He has attracted some controversy through his 2005 visit to Japan
's Yasukuni War Shrine, which honors Japanese WWII combatants and 14 convicted war criminals.
Kemakeza remained in office through a full four year parliamentary term, a distinguishing feat in Solomon Islands politics; he survived three motions of no confidence during the term. At the end of the parliamentary term in December 2005, Parliament was dissolved and Kemakeza and his Cabinet served in a caretaker capacity until the next election, which was held on 5 April 2006. In this election, Kemakeza's People's Alliance Party lost more than 10 seats; Kemakeza himself was re-elected to his seat. Kemakeza soon announced his resignation as Prime Minister, but one of his allies, Deputy Prime Minister Snyder Rini
, was elected to succeed him. Kemakeza was appointed leader of the governing coalition and it seemed that he would still have much power within the government. His term as Prime Minister was to end on 19 April, but he remained in office until the following day because of riots over Rini's controversial election. He became Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament on 24 April 2006, having been elected with 25 votes from the members of the 50-seat Parliament.
In early November 2007, Kemakaza was convicted of demanding money with menace, intimidation and larceny in connection with a raid that he allegedly ordered in May 2002 on a law firm, Sol Law, in Honiara. The raid was allegedly an attempt to drive the firm's Australian lawyers, who Kemakeza thought held too much influence over national financial institutions, out of the Solomon Islands. He faced a potential prison sentence as a result of the conviction. After the conviction, it was reported that he discussed a deal with Sogavare's government for a pardon. The government claimed that Kemakeza had left the opposition and was named as the chairman of the board of the Solomon Islands Water Authority, but Kemakeza denied this and said that he was not making a deal. In December, Kemakeza, having previously been neutral, backed the opposition led by Fred Fono
; soon afterward, Sogavare's government was defeated in a no-confidence vote. Kemakeza eventually served a five-month prison sentence in 2008.
Following Sogavare's defeat, Kemakeza became Minister of Forestry under Prime Minister Derek Sikua
on December 22, 2007, leaving the post of Deputy Speaker on that date.
He lost his seat, and Cabinet position, in the August 2010 general election
. He then announced he was a candidate for the position of Speaker of the National Parliament
, to be chosen from outside Parliament. Two other former MPs, who had likewise lost their seat in the 2010 election, Francis Billy Hilly
and Fred Fono
, also stood for the job of Speaker. Kemakeza was elected by Parliament with 27 votes, to 17 for Billy Hilly and 4 for Fono.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 11 October 1950) was the seventh Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands
The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands is Solomon Islands' head of government, consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the National Parliament. Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm. Since August 2010, the Prime Minister has been Danny Philip of the Reform...
of the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
from 2001 to 2006. He represented Savo/Russel Constituency in the National Parliament of Solomon Islands from 1989 to 2010 and was most recently Minister of Forestry December 2007 to August 2010. He currently serves as Speaker of the National Parliament
Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands
The Speaker of National Parliament is the Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. The position was established under section 64 of the Constitution of 1978, when the country became independent from the United Kingdom...
, since September 2010.
Kemakeza was born on the island of Savo
Savo Island
Savo Island is a volcanic island in the Solomon Islands group in the South Pacific ocean. It is located to the northeast of the northern tip of Guadalcanal Island at . Politically, Savo Island is a part of the Solomons' Central Province. The indigenous language of Savo is the Savosavo language.The...
. He joined the police force in 1972 and served in various positions until he resigned in December 1988 in order to stand in the 1989 parliamentary election. He won a seat from Savo/Russel in that election, and in 1989 he was also appointed Minister for Police and Justice, serving in that position until 1990. From 1991 to 1993, he served as Minister for Housing and Government Services; he was re-elected in the May 1993 election and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1993 to 1994. He was Minister for Forests, Environment & Conservation from 1995 to 1996. Re-elected to Parliament in the August 1997 election, he became Deputy Leader of the Opposition again in that year.
In June 2000, Kemakeza was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace under Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare
Manasseh Sogavare
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare was the sixth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 2000 to 2001 and again from 2006 to 2007. He has served in the National Parliament as Member for East Choiseul since 1997, and he is currently the Leader of the Opposition.-Biography:Sogavare was Permanent...
. In August 2001, Kemakeza was sacked from these positions by Sogavare following allegations of corruption. Further controversy surfaced when he received SI$850,000 as part of a program compensating individuals who lost property during the Civil War. Kemakeza denies the allegations of corruption.
His People's Alliance Party
People's Alliance Party (Solomon Islands)
The People's Alliance Party is a political party in the Solomon Islands. The party was formed in 1977 through a merger of the Rural Alliance Party and the People's Progressive Party ....
won 20 of 49 seats in the parliamentary election of 5 December 2001, becoming the largest party in parliament. He was elected as Prime Minister by Parliament on 17 December 2001 in the first round of voting, receiving 29 votes out of the 50 seats in parliament, and sworn in on 19 December 2001.
Before he became Prime Minister, there was much turmoil in the Solomon Islands because of rivalry between militias from the various islands, which reached its height in June 2000, when a coup took place. Problems still continue today, but Kemakeza's government allowed the international community, including peacekeepers, to help solve the problems.
An Australian led peace keeping force named RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands) is in place, based in Honiara
Honiara
Honiara, population 49,107 , 78,190 , is the capital of the Solomon Islands and of Guadalcanal Province, although it is a separately administered town...
. He has attracted some controversy through his 2005 visit to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
's Yasukuni War Shrine, which honors Japanese WWII combatants and 14 convicted war criminals.
Kemakeza remained in office through a full four year parliamentary term, a distinguishing feat in Solomon Islands politics; he survived three motions of no confidence during the term. At the end of the parliamentary term in December 2005, Parliament was dissolved and Kemakeza and his Cabinet served in a caretaker capacity until the next election, which was held on 5 April 2006. In this election, Kemakeza's People's Alliance Party lost more than 10 seats; Kemakeza himself was re-elected to his seat. Kemakeza soon announced his resignation as Prime Minister, but one of his allies, Deputy Prime Minister Snyder Rini
Snyder Rini
Snyder Rini is a Solomon Islands politician who was briefly the eighth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from April to May 2006 and has been Minister for Finance and Treasury since December 2007...
, was elected to succeed him. Kemakeza was appointed leader of the governing coalition and it seemed that he would still have much power within the government. His term as Prime Minister was to end on 19 April, but he remained in office until the following day because of riots over Rini's controversial election. He became Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament on 24 April 2006, having been elected with 25 votes from the members of the 50-seat Parliament.
In early November 2007, Kemakaza was convicted of demanding money with menace, intimidation and larceny in connection with a raid that he allegedly ordered in May 2002 on a law firm, Sol Law, in Honiara. The raid was allegedly an attempt to drive the firm's Australian lawyers, who Kemakeza thought held too much influence over national financial institutions, out of the Solomon Islands. He faced a potential prison sentence as a result of the conviction. After the conviction, it was reported that he discussed a deal with Sogavare's government for a pardon. The government claimed that Kemakeza had left the opposition and was named as the chairman of the board of the Solomon Islands Water Authority, but Kemakeza denied this and said that he was not making a deal. In December, Kemakeza, having previously been neutral, backed the opposition led by Fred Fono
Fred Fono
Fred Iro Fono is a politician in the Solomon Islands who has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs since December 2007...
; soon afterward, Sogavare's government was defeated in a no-confidence vote. Kemakeza eventually served a five-month prison sentence in 2008.
Following Sogavare's defeat, Kemakeza became Minister of Forestry under Prime Minister Derek Sikua
Derek Sikua
David Derek Sikua served as the ninth Prime Minister of Solomon Islands from December 20, 2007 to August 25, 2010. He is a member of the Solomon Islands Liberal Party.-Career:Sikua is from Ngalitavethi Village in Guadalcanal Province...
on December 22, 2007, leaving the post of Deputy Speaker on that date.
He lost his seat, and Cabinet position, in the August 2010 general election
Solomon Islands general election, 2010
A general election was held in the Solomon Islands on 4 August 2010. In May 2010, Prime Minister Derek Sikua announced that the election would be held on 4 August, however, this announcement was deemed to be premature, as only the Governor General has the authority to announce the election date...
. He then announced he was a candidate for the position of Speaker of the National Parliament
Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands
The Speaker of National Parliament is the Speaker of the National Parliament of Solomon Islands. The position was established under section 64 of the Constitution of 1978, when the country became independent from the United Kingdom...
, to be chosen from outside Parliament. Two other former MPs, who had likewise lost their seat in the 2010 election, Francis Billy Hilly
Francis Billy Hilly
Francis Billy Hilly CMG is a Solomon Islands politician who was the fourth Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 18 June 1993 to 7 November 1994. He represented the Ranogga/Simbo Constituency in the National Parliament from 1976 to 1984, and has represented the constituency again since 1993...
and Fred Fono
Fred Fono
Fred Iro Fono is a politician in the Solomon Islands who has been Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Rural Development and Indigenous Affairs since December 2007...
, also stood for the job of Speaker. Kemakeza was elected by Parliament with 27 votes, to 17 for Billy Hilly and 4 for Fono.
Honours
- Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
- Order of the Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
(Jan 2006) http://www.pmc.gov.sb/?q=node/72