Josefa Vosanibola

Josefa Bole Vosanibola is a Fijian politician, who has served as Minister for Home Affairs since 16 December 2004, when he was appointed by Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to succeed Joketani Cokanasiga. Prior to his appointment as Home Affairs Minister, he had served as Minister for Information, and before that as Minister for Transport and Civil Aviation, following his election to represent the Tailevu North Ovalau Open Constituency, as a candidate of the United Fiji Party (SDL), in the parliamentary election of 2001.

Vosanibola, a devout and outspoken Christian who has strongly defended the influence of the church in Fijian society, played a role in the foundation of the Christian Democratic Alliance (VLV) in 1998, and unsuccessfully contested the Tailevu North Ovalau Open Constituency for that party in the election of 1999. In the political realignment that followed the 2000 coup, the VLV splintered and Vosanibola joined the SDL.

Tensions with the Military

As Minister for Home Affairs, the police and military come under Vosanibola's jurisdiction. He is known to have a tense relationship with the Military commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, an outspoken critic of some government policies, including the early release of some prisoners convicted of offenses related to the coup d'état that overthrew the elected government in 2000, and the government's controversial Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill aimed at establishing a Commission empowered, subject to presidential approval, to compensate victims and pardon perpetrators of the coup. Throughout 2005, Vosanibola has repeatedly rebuked Bainimarama for opposing government policies through the media rather than following what Vosanibola calls "proper channels." On 20 June, the Fiji Times reported that a source close to Vosanibola had accused President Ratu Josefa Iloilo of refusing Vosanibola's repeated requests to discipline Bainimarama.

On 13 July, Vosanibola finally admitted that the government was constitutionally powerless to discipline the Military commander. He said this in the wake of revelations that in a signed statement, Commodore Bainimarama had threatened to overthrow the government if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill was passed. The government was very concerned, he said, with the behaviour of the Military, and accused the media of exacerbating the tension. "You (the media) can play a major role and come to us first instead of coming to us after highlighting what he (Bainimarama) has said," Vosanibola told the Fiji Times.

Commodore Bainimarama demanded Vosanibola's resignation on 31 December 2005, saying that he would no longer "recognize" him as the Minister in charge of the Military. He repeated this ultimatum on 3 January 2006. The Commander's outburst came after several months of delays in the Commissioning of Fiji Law Society President Graeme Leung as Judge Advocate to try a court martial retrial for 20 soldiers convicted of having mutinied at Suva's Queen Elizabeth Barracks on 2 November 2000. Bainimarama blamed Vosanibola and some of his officials for the delay, saying that he considered it deliberate and politically motivated. Vosanibola ignored the Commander's ultimatum for several days, before telling the Fiji Village news service on 5 January that the Military had no authority to call for his resignation, and that he would not resign at their behest.

Tensions continued into 2006. Fiji Live reported on 1 March that the Military had called on Prime Minister Qarase to discipline Home Affairs Minister Vosanibola. Military spokesman Captain Neumi Leweni accused Vosanibola of deliberately failing to understand the constitutional prerogatives of the Military. According to Leweni, the 1997 Constitution affirmed the role given to the Military in the 1990 constitution. "If Vosanibola cannot understand simple English than he is not worthy to continue in his cabinet portfolio," he said. He accused Vosanibola of committing three serious acts of insubordination since 1983, the most serious, he said, over the court martial retrial in 2005.

Political and constitutional views

On 12 August 2005, Vosanibola backed calls for sovereignty over Fiji to be returned to the chiefs. It was the chiefs who ceded sovereignty to the British monarchy in 1874, he said, and it should have been returned to them when Fiji became independent in 1970. The failure to do so was the cause of Fiji's post-independence history of instability, he maintained. "Fijians understand that unless their sovereignty is reinstated their status is subject to the maneuvering of politicking," he said.

On 22 November 2005, Vosanibola strongly criticized Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry for his attacks on the Unity Bill. He said that the government was following parliamentary procedures, and that Chaudhry's demands for it to be withdrawn before it had been tabled were both culturally insensitive and "premature." "The calls by the Opposition Leader to toss the bill out, before the sectoral committee's report on public submissions are tabled in the House, is uncalled for and premature, to say the least," Vosanibola declared. He went on to say that the government welcomed "constructive criticism" and believed in the need to respect other cultures and beliefs. "Peace, reconciliation and unity are sentiments meant not only for the person next door but for all people," he opined.

2006 election

Seeking renomination from the SDL for the parliamentary election due on 6-13 May 2006, Vosanibola faced a challenge from Eminoni Ranacou, a former agriculture officer. The SDL campaign director, Jale Baba, intervened to ensure that Vosanibola was renominated, over the objections of the local party hierarchy, "Fiji Village" reported on 12 April. He went on to retain his seat by a large majority, and kept his Cabinet post in the new government that was formed subsequently.