Allan Kemakeza

Infobox Prime Minister


name = Allan Kemakeza
|order = 10th Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands
term_start = December 17, 2001
term_end = April 20, 2006
deputy =
predecessor = Manasseh Sogavare
successor = Snyder Rini
birth_date = Birth date and age|1950|10|11
birth_place =
death_date =
death_place =
spouse =
party = People's Alliance Party
religion =

Sir Allan Kemakeza KBE (born 11 October 1950) was Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands from 2001 to 2006. He has represented Savo/Russel Constituency in the National Parliament of the Solomon Islands since 1989 [http://www.parliament.gov.sb/index.php?q=node/186 CV for Kemakeza at National Parliament website] .] and has been Minister of Forestry since December 2007.Joanna Sireheti and Joy Basi, [http://www.solomontimes.com/news.aspx?nwid=1145 "Prime Minister Sikua Unveil Cabinet"] , "Solomon Times Online", December 22, 2007.]

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.Fact|date=December 2007

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, ["Solomon Islands' Parliament elects new prime minister", Associated Press (nl.newsbank.com), December 17, 2001.] 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.Fact|date=December 2007

An Australian led peace keeping force named RAMSI (Regional Assistance Mission to the 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 ["Solomons government in caretaker mode as parliament term expires", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation website (nl.newsbank.com), December 19, 2005.] 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. ["Solomons ex-premier elected deputy speaker", Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation text website (nl.newsbank.com), April 25, 2006.]

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. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/Former-Solomons-PM-struggling-for-power/2007/11/15/1194766857528.html "Former Solomons PM struggling for power"] , AAP (smh.com.au), November 15, 2007.] [Lloyd Jones, [http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/former-pm-guilty-of-violent-breakin/2007/11/02/1193619145415.html "Former PM guilty of violent break-in"] , AAP (smh.com.au), November 3, 2007.] He faces 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. [Walter Nalangu, [http://www.iht.com/articles/reuters/2007/12/13/news/OUKWD-UK-SOLOMONS.php "Solomons PM loses no-confidence vote"] , Reuters ("International Herald Tribune"), December 13, 2007.]

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.

Honours

* Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
* Order of the Brilliant Stars with Special Grand Cordon Taiwan (Jan 2006) [http://www.pmc.gov.sb/?q=node/72]

References