Election Deferred to 2023

There has been a flurry of international media and commentary attention on Solomon Islands in recent months. Since the news broke of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare’s intention to sign a security agreement with the People’s Republic of China, scrutiny of his every move and word has been intense.

There have been two recent developments that have caused yet more scrutiny of the Sogavare government - the government’s intention to delay next year’s federal election and moratorium on some international ships from its ports.

Once again, too much of the reporting and commentary casts these events through the overly narrow lens of geo-strategic competition. The interplay of domestic political dynamics is overlooked or oversimplified, yet it is only by understanding these dynamics that a full picture of what is happening in Solomon Islands can be drawn.

The government of Sogavare is illegitimate

The Crooked Prime Minister In 2019, Sogavare was elected as an independent. He didn't have a party that commands the majority of the elected MPs. He didn't have any leg to stand on in terms of party numbers or affiliations. During the negotiation process, Sogavare rounded up Independent MPs and formed a large party in violation of the law. The unethical move granted Sogavare the majority party that required to lead the coalition of parties to form the government. He was able to establish a majority of the coalition and became a clear contender for the office of the Prime Minister. Illegal maneuvers The other camp led by Peter Kenilorea and Matthew Wale apparently saw Sogavare's maneuvers as an illegal tactic that needed to be addressed by the courts immediately. As such, they sued for the court, as they should, to redress the constitutional impasse. Unfortunately, the judge ruled in favour of Sogavare on a technicality. This doesn't mean the Sogavare's moves were...

This Blog is about Manasseh Sogavare

Welcome, This blog documents the history of Sogavare and his controversial dealings since entering politics in 1997. Mr. Sogavare is the only prime minister in the history of Solomon Islands to hold the office of Prime Minister in four different terms - 2000, 2006, 2014, and 2019 - to current. In his first three stints, Sogavare was marred by controversies and eventually voted out of office. He became the most revered and feared politicians in Solomon Islands. He was also the first PM to take on Australia after the election of 2006 - kicking out the Australian Higher Commission to SI, and appointed a sex offender as Attorney General of SI in defiance of protestation of the 'Civil Society' and the regional partners.

Sogavare is playing Australia for sucker - an opinion

ASPI—The Strategist: There’s a moment to realise that you’re being played for a sucker. That moment has come for the Australian government in the case of the current Solomons Islands prime minister, Manasseh Sogavare. Since the new Australian government came to power after the 21 May elections, it has engaged rapidly and deeply with Pacific island leaders and with Sogavare himself and acted in ways that address their deeply held concerns , notably on the existential challenge of climate change. Foreign Minister Penny Wong’s trip to the Pacific straight off the plane from the Tokyo Quad meeting, followed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s participation in the Pacific Islands Forum meeting and the visit to Honiara by the minister for international relations and the Pacific, Pat Conroy, were welcome evidence of priority and attention to the region and its leaders. Read more

Manasseh Sogavare - the Puppet

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