Allan Kemakeza
Solomonov Fr.- Early Life and Education
- Police Career
- Parliamentary Career
- Deputy Prime Minister
- Prime Minister
- Deputy Speaker and Embezzlement
- Return to Parliament
Early Life and Education
Allan Mahendra Kemakeza was born on July 20, 1948, in Panueli village on Savo Island in the Central Province of the Solomon Islands. He received his primary and secondary education at various church schools before attending police academy courses in the United Kingdom and Australia.
Police Career
In 1972, Kemakeza joined the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF). He rose through the ranks, holding various positions before resigning in December 1988 to run in the 1989 parliamentary elections.
Parliamentary Career
Kemakeza was successfully elected as the Member of Parliament for the Savo-Russell constituency in 1989. He served as the Minister of Police and Justice from 1989 to 1990, and as Minister of Housing and Government Services from 1991 to 1993. He was re-elected in 1993 and became Deputy Leader of the Opposition from 1993 to 1994. He held the position of Minister of Forestry and Environment from 1995 to 1996. In 1997, he was re-elected and again became Deputy Leader of the Opposition.
Deputy Prime Minister
In June 2000, Kemakeza was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation, and Peace by Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare. However, he was removed from these positions in August 2001 due to allegations of corruption, including the embezzlement of SI$851,000 intended for compensation payments to families of those killed in the Solomons civil war.
Prime Minister
In the parliamentary elections held on December 5, 2001, Kemakeza's People's Alliance Party won 20 out of 49 seats, becoming the largest party in Parliament. On December 17, 2001, Kemakeza was elected Prime Minister with 29 out of 50 votes on the first ballot.
Kemakeza served a full four-year parliamentary term as Prime Minister, weathering three no-confidence motions, a rarity in Solomon Islands political history. When Parliament dissolved in December 2005, Kemakeza's government became caretaker until new parliamentary elections were held on April 5, 2006. The People's Alliance Party lost over 10 seats in Parliament, but Kemakeza retained his seat. On April 20, 2006, he stepped down as Prime Minister and was succeeded by Deputy Prime Minister Rini Snyder.
Deputy Speaker and Embezzlement
On April 24, 2006, Kemakeza was elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament, receiving 25 out of 50 votes. In early November 2007, Kemakeza was charged with extortion by threat over a raid he had ordered on the Honiara law firm Sol Law in May 2002. The raid was allegedly intended to force an Australian lawyer with influence over the country's financial institutions to leave the Solomons. The former prime minister faced the possibility of a prison sentence. Kemakeza reportedly discussed a pardon with the Sogavare government, which allegedly required him to defect from the opposition and become chairman of the Solomon Islands Water Authority. Kemakeza denied the negotiations and threw his support behind opposition leader Fred Fono, leading to a vote of no confidence against the Sogavare government.
After the fall of the Sogavare government, Kemakeza became Minister of Forestry under Prime Minister Derek Sikua, relinquishing his position as Deputy Speaker. However, he was sentenced to five months imprisonment in 2008.
Return to Parliament
Upon his release from prison, Kemakeza attempted to return to Parliament, but the Speaker ruled him ineligible due to the length of his imprisonment. Nevertheless, Kemakeza ran in a by-election for the Savo-Russell constituency and won a decisive victory on November 1, 2009. Unsuccessful candidates challenged the result, arguing that the former prime minister was ineligible as he remained on a 12-month suspended sentence (due to expire in January 2010).
