The Controvesial Sogavare
In November of 2021, Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare defended his seat against a 'No-Confidence Motion' moved by the Leader of Opposition (LO), Hon. Matthew Wale. In the end, he managed to hold on to his coalition and retained his seat as Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. It is not the victory that was quite interesting - everyone knows he had the number and the money to keep his cohorts happy and supportive. It is what he said that captured our attention.
In his response to the mover of the motion, Hon. Sogavare decried what he termed a classic character assassination by his foes in government, particularly the LO. He said that the opposition camps claimed that he is a very corrupt man, and that wherever he goes, controversies seem to follow him around. If it was a lie, the PM was justified in decrying that claim. However, his four terms as PM have been mired by corruption and controversies. It is this phenomenon that sank him as PM in his first three term as prime minister.
The Machiavellian Prime Minister
The name Machiavelli is often associated with authoritarian leaders of the world, and that association is not good. The author of 'Prince' was a pragmatic leader whose strategies were aggressive, evil and have been used by authoritarian leaders to achieve absolutely power. The core of his approach to conflict, government and leadership was driven by his desire to win at all costs. To him, winning is not negotiable. To win, one must employ all possible strategies eve if all those maneuvers were seen as evil and destructive. This idea gave rise to the slogan - "The End Justifies the Means" - meaning, it doesn't matter how you get there, what matters most is the reward that you get in the end.
2000 - Sogavare helped toppled the PM, then elected PM
Mr. Sogavare didn't care how he became Prime Minister, as long as he get the job and sits on the throne, so to speak. In 2000, he was accused of participating - a claim we will visit in other posts - in criminal activities of the paramilitary. His presence at the armory when it was ransacked, made him an accessory to a crime against his nation - making him unfit to hold the office for the prime minister, but who was there to make sure he didn't get elected as PM? No one. He really didn't care whether he was seen as a warmonger, a shrewd and cunning leader, he wanted to be prime minister. He did achieve that at the expense of the country, which went on to be called a "failed" state as investors and foreigners exited the violent-ridden Honiara.
2006 - Jointed the Opposition and elected PM
After being toppled by a newly elected coalition, serving only two years in office as PM, Sogavare demonstrated, yet again, he was in control of his destiny and that the post of the PM of the country was his. He moved to the periphery of the government but remained active in the affairs of the country as Opposition Leader as Allan Kemakeza brought Australia to Solomon Islands to restore law and order.
Mr. Sogavare was part of the coalition that back Snyder Rini - former Finance Minister in the previous government - to become prime minister. Leading up to the election of the PM, the opposition cam criticized the Rini camp of taking bribes from Asians. They claimed that if Rini was elected prime minister, SI would be run by corrupt Asians and their bundles of cash. RAMSI didn't take these warning seriously, and utterly miscalculated the events that followed the election of Rini as prime minister.
Mr. Rini was elected prime minister of Solomon Islands when riots - backed by some members of the opposition - erupted throughout Honiara. The riots descended on Point Cruz and went on to Chinatown. They took their anger out on Asian shops - burning Asian stores and homes. The carnage that followed was never seen in Solomon Islands, not even during its darkest hours. The remains of Chinatown after the riot were captured by many people and published online.
Chinatown, Honiara - 2006
RAMSI had failed to stop the riot, and the country descended into chaos. Within hours of the riot, Hon. Rini did the right thing by resigning from the post of Prime Minister, making him the shortest-serving PM of SI.
Inside his officer, Sogavare was plotting and planning to capture the post of PM. He took his party to the Opposition and used it as a bargaining-chip for the nomination of the opposition. Sure enough, he was nominated and became the prime minister - for the 2nd time - of Solomon Islands.
Sogavare vs. Australia
Shortly after his election in 2006, Hon. Sogavare began his campaign against Australia and attempted to undermine SI police and the rule of law. Again, he managed to cook up a huge controversy instead of focusing on SI's crumbling economy and the destroyed major shopping town of Honiara - Chinatown.
Earlier, an investigation by Solomon Islands Central Intelligence Department (CID) and RAMSI identified two MPs who, not only encouraged the looters and arsonists in downtown China but were also seen at the scenes by eyewitnesses. The two MP - Hon. Dausabea and Hon. Nelson Ne'e. According to Sogavare - these two MPs of the Opposition didn't deserve any prison time: accusing police and RAMSI of arresting two innocent MPs.
The Howard government which was humiliated by Sogavare following his expulsion of the Australian diplomat pounced on Mr. Moti's appointed. Whether the Australian government believed Moti committed a horrendous crime or not, it was unclear, but one thing was clear - the Australian government decided to play dirty, and when you play dirty with a massive animal, you get owned.
The Julian saga - click here to read
No-confidence Motion
The Australia vs. Sogavare was one the low points in the relationship between the two countries. Australia was always there for SI, even paid the salaries of police and teachers when the SIG was unable to foot the bill. Yet the expulsion of its ambassador, which was done in the interest of Sogavare and his cohorts, infuriated Solomon Islands' critics, civil society, opposition camps, and Australia.
The NCM to remove Sogavare as PM was moved by Dr. Derek Sika of Guadalcanal. In it, he blasted the PM and leveled him crooked, opportunistic and a criminal who puts his own interest ahead of the country's interest. He also accused him of helping the paramilitary raided the armory. And though Sogavare pushed back hard and denied all charges against him by the mover, he was defeated resoundingly by a majority vote. Dr. Sikua was elected prime minister to replace Sogavare.
2014 - Sogavare elected PM
None doubted Sogavare's ability to weave his way into the leadership of the country, and in 2014, he did exactly that - he was elected prime minister again. But again, controversy followed him around for the next few years. Mr. Sogavare was accused of not prioritizing the development of the country, instead of bullying his cabinet into submission. Hon. Sika - the mover of the 'No-Confidence Motion' stated that the PM never considered any other viewpoint and would become suspicious of anyone that held a different point of view. He was topped by a majority vote.
2019 - Prime Minister again backed by the Red Dragon of China
Hours leading up to the election for the PM's post, camps were setting up in various hotels to lobby and bribe each other for support. Sogavare didn't have a majority party. In fact, he ran as an independent. But as lobbing progressed, Sogavare and few of his minions began rounding up independent MPs and registered them under a new party in violation of the law that requires all parties to be submitted prior to the lobbying process. The Opposition, led by Matthew Wale launched a lawsuit arguing that Sogavare's party was illegal. Somehow, the Judge ruled in favour of Sogavare, and he was allowed to form the largest coalition - gobbling up the independent members and small party groups. He then formed the largest coalition and was elected Prime Minister once again.
Immediately, Sogavare did something no PM did in the past - announcing the recognition of China and booted Taiwan out. He managed to start another controversy that may sink his 4th stint as PM.
The puppet and the puppet-master
China is not the same as Taiwan though they both are Chinese people. Unlike China, Taiwan is a democratic country with its economy, military and powerful influence globally. And while Taiwan is doing its best to buy diplomatic support from cash-strapped tiny developing countries, the money offered by the Chinese regime is far great than what the Taiwanese offered.
In 2019, the Chinese entered SI and in less than a two years, it has its tenticles all over Solomon Islands. Between 2019 and 2022, the main pusher of domestic affairs is hiding in the background giving command to the SIG led by the puppet, Hon. Sogavare.
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