Manele, Kenilorea Jnr slated as two candidates for Prime Minister as lobbying intensifies ahead of the nomination of candidates for the top political post, UP-CARE appeal issues open appeal to Independent Candidates to join them after what appears to be a lobbing deadlock for the grouping
THE Member of Parliament (MP)-reelect for Hograno-Kia-Havulei, Jeremiah Manele and the MP-reelect for East Are Are, Peter Kenilorea are tipped to be the two contenders for the Prime Ministership.
Sources told Solomon Star that the MP-reelect for East Choiseul and Caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has stepped aside from contesting the prime ministership on May 8 to allow Manele vie for the top political post.
Some sources said Sogavare’s decision is in line with an agreement reached within OUR Party to endorse the re-elected Member of Parliament for Hograno-Kia-Havulei, Jeremiah Manele as the party’s candidate for the Prime Ministership. Other sources said Sogavare’s decision not to contest the top political position comes amid concerns about OUR party’s popularity.
They said the decision was reached during the party’s meeting held at Cowboys Grill, Pacific Casino last Saturday.
Sources within the OUR Party camp said the party has 30 members in its fold and is looking forward to again lead the 12th Parliament government.
This came after the party’s two satellite camps respectively led by the re-elected MP for Marovo Chachabule Rebi Amoi of Solomon Islands Peoples First Party (SIPFP) and re-elected West Honiara MP Namson Tran, successfully secured independent members to increase their numerical strength as lobbing intensified ahead of the PM’s Election. Tran himself contested as an Independent Candidate.
OUR Party, which fielded 43 candidates in this year’s NGE, managed to secure 15 seats, the highest number of successful candidates to be secured by any party after the election. 14 of the successful OUR Party candidates served as Ministers in the Sogavare-led Democratic Coalition Government for Advancement (DCGA) during the 11th Parliament. SIPFP, which won three seats has signed a coalition agreement with OUR Party.
Sources said Sogavare has thrown his total support behind his former Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Jeremiah Manele to succeed him.
The Prime Minister’s Election is scheduled for Wednesday 8 May.
Meanwhile, sources also told Solomon Star that the new United Party-CARE Coalition have discussed and agreed that the UP Parliamentary Wing Leader, Peter Kenilorea will be their candidate for the Prime Ministership.
In a statement issued last weekend, UP and CARE announced their political marriage. In the statement, they confirmed to be in command 20 members and called on the Independent Candidates ‘who voted on the mandate for change’ to join them.
Political commentators said the marriage of UP and CARE and their appeal to the Independent candidates to join them implies they have reached a lobbying deadlock.
Manele, who was elected to the National Parliament of Solomon Islands for Hograno-Kia-Havulei Constituency on November in the 2014 NGE had served as the Leader of the Official Opposition from 17 December 2014 to 17 November 2017.
He was initially affiliated with the Democratic Alliance Party before joining OUR Party after the 2019 NGE and served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade.
Before his political career, served as the Solomon Islands Resident Representative to the United States, Canada and the United Nations in New York, USA.
After his return to Solomon Islands, he served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade and also Secretary to the Prime Minister.
Manele holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Diplomatic Studies and a Bachelor of Arts Degree.
Kenilorea Junior, on the other hand, is an international lawyer by training who spent almost 20 years with the United Nations in New York. After returning from the United States, he served as Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade before resigning to contest the 2019 NGE.
By EDDIE OSIFELO, DELI-SHARON OSO
Solomon Star, Honiara
