Prime Minister of Fiji from 1992 to 1999 and since 2022
Major General the Honourable[1]
Sitiveni Rabuka
CF, OBE, MSD
Rabuka in 2020
Prime Minister of Fiji
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 December 2022
President
Wiliame Katonivere
Deputy
Manoa Kamikamica
Viliame Gavoka
Biman Prasad
Preceded by
Frank Bainimarama
In office 2 June 1992 – 19 May 1999
President
Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
Deputy
Filipe Bole Timoci Vesikula Taufa Vakatale
Preceded by
Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara
Succeeded by
Mahendra Chaudhry
Leader of the Opposition
In office 26 November 2018 – 7 December 2020
Prime Minister
Frank Bainimarama
Preceded by
Teimumu Kepa
Succeeded by
Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu
1st Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs
In office 1999–2001
Preceded by
Ratu Finau Mara[a]
Succeeded by
Ratu Epeli Ganilau
Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji
In office July 1991 – 1992
Serving with Josefata Kamikamica
Prime Minister
Kamisese Mara
Succeeded by
Tomasi Vakatora
5th Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces
In office 1987 – April 1991
Preceded by
Ratu Epeli Nailatikau
Succeeded by
Ratu Epeli Ganilau
Chairman of the Cakaudrove Provincial Council
In office 24 May 2001 – 2008
Preceded by
Ratu Inoke Kubuabola
Succeeded by
Emitai Boladuadua
Leader of SODELPA
In office 24 June 2016 – 28 November 2020
Preceded by
Teimumu Kepa
Succeeded by
Viliame Gavoka
Member for Cakaudrove West
In office 1999–2001
Preceded by
Office established
Succeeded by
Manasa Tugia
Personal details
Born
(1948-09-13) 13 September 1948 (age 75) Cakaudrove, Colony of Fiji
Political party
People's Alliance (2021–present)
Other political affiliations
Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (1991–2006)
Social Democratic Liberal Party (2014–2015; 2016–2020)
Spouse
Suluweti Tuiloma
(m. 1975)
Nicknames
Steve[2]
Rambo[3]
Military service
Allegiance
Dominion of Fiji (until 1987)
Fiji (since 1987)
Branch/service
Fijian Army
Years of service
1968–1991
Rank
Major General
Commands
Fijian Battalion
Battles/wars
Lebanese Civil War
Awards
Companion of the Order of Fiji
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Officer of the Order of St John
Meritorious Service Decoration
Commander of the Legion of Honour (France)
Commander of the Order of Tahiti Nui (French Polynesia)
This article is part of a series about
Sitiveni Rabuka
Prime Minister
1992 – 1999, 2022 – present
Leader of the Opposition
2018 – 2022
People's Alliance
Cabinets
First
Second
Timeline
1987 coups
Great Council of Chiefs
General elections
1992
1994
1999
2018
2022
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Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka[4]CF OBE MSD (Fijian:[sitʃiˈβeniramˈbuka]; born 13 September 1948) is a Fijian politician, former soldier and former sportsman who has served as Prime Minister of Fiji since 24 December 2022.[5] He was the instigator of two military coups in 1987. He was democratically elected as Prime Minister of Fiji, serving from 1992 to 1999, and again in 2022, leading a three-party coalition. He also served as Chairman of the Great Council of Chiefs from 1999 to 2001, and later as Chairman of the Cakaudrove Provincial Council from 2001 to 2008.
Rabuka was elected as leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party in 2016, succeeding Leader of the Opposition Ro Teimumu Kepa, who publicly disapproved of Rabuka's nomination to replace her.[6] He was appointed as the leader of the Opposition to Parliament in 2018, following the 2018 election defeat. He was the only nomination for the position, and his nomination was moved by Ro Teimumu Kepa and seconded by Biman Prasad.[7] He was ousted as SODELPA leader by Viliame Gavoka in a leadership contest.[8] Rabuka resigned from parliament in 2020, citing that he would no longer be an obstacle to the bipartisan approach to be taken by the leaders of Fiji to create harmony and progress, and unity in Fiji.[9] He formed a new political party in 2020, named Peoples Alliance, to contest the 2022 election.[10]
^"Fiji Prime Ministers Office Directory". Office of the Prime Minister. 29 December 2022. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
^"Electoral Transparency Lessons for the US from Fiji". 22 December 2022.
^"Sitiveni 'Rambo' Rabuka confirmed as Fiji's new prime minister".
^Howell, Bronwyn (22 December 2022). "Electoral Transparency Lessons for the US from Fiji". AEI. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
^"Fiji parliament confirms Sitiveni Rabuka as prime minister after days of uncertainty". The Guardian. 24 December 2022. Event occurs at 12:40 AEDT.
^"Sitiveni Rabuka wins leadership of Fiji's SODELPA". RNZ International. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
^"Rabuka named as Fiji opposition leader". RNZ International. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
^"Fiji's main opposition party chooses a new leader". RNZ. 27 November 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
^"Rabuka resigns from Parliament". 7 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
^Nacei, Luke (10 December 2020). "Rabuka forming new party". FijiTimes. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
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Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka CF OBE MSD (Fijian: [sitʃiˈβeni ramˈbuka]; born 13 September 1948) is a Fijian politician, former soldier and former sportsman...
he was leader of the Social Democratic Liberal Party, after ousting SitiveniRabuka in the SODELPA leadership contest. Gavoka studied at Ratu Kadavulevu...
imposed constitution and to restore the 1970 constitution. In 1992 SitiveniRabuka, the Lieutenant Colonel who had carried out the 1987 coup, became Prime...
lead the party in November 2020, replacing former prime minister SitiveniRabuka. Rabuka conceded to Gavoka and pledged to remain affiliated with the party...
the incumbent Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) government of SitiveniRabuka, which lost all but eight seats and won less seats than the Fijian...
Mara. He was succeeded by the leader of the 1987 Fijian Coups d'etat, SitiveniRabuka. Bainimarama resigned from Parliament and as leader of the opposition...
owing to two coups d'état in 1987 instigated by Lieutenant Colonel SitiveniRabuka. The second interruption occurred when a coup in 2000 attempted by...
down as leader of SODELPA. She was replaced by former Prime Minister SitiveniRabuka. The party ran 51 candidates in the 2018 elections, seven of whom were...
for Economy. In the run-up to the 2018 election, then-SODELPA leader SitiveniRabuka attempted to block him from being a party candidate, but backed down...
Minister of Fiji SitiveniRabuka confirmed that Kiribati has reconciled with the Pacific Islands Forum and plans to rejoin soon. Rabuka met Kiribati president...
historic election in which he defeated the long-time former leader, SitiveniRabuka, the former trade union leader became Fiji's first Indo-Fijian Prime...
Fiji. Following two military coups in 1987, led by Lieutenant-Colonel SitiveniRabuka, Fiji became a republic. The Great Council of Chiefs continued to recognise...
Events of 2024 in Fiji. President: Wiliame Katonivere Prime Minister: SitiveniRabuka Speaker: Naiqama Lalabalavu Source: 1 January – New Year's Day 29 March...
for employees" in parliament. She also represented SODELPA leader SitiveniRabuka in his electoral fraud trial. In the 2018 elections she was the highest-polling...
Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021. "Rabuka lauds appointment of Fiji's new head of State". FijiTimes. Archived from...
down as leader of SODELPA. She was replaced by former Prime Minister SitiveniRabuka. She was re-elected in the 2018 elections, winning 6,036 votes, the...
became the country's first Indo-Fijian Prime Minister. The incumbent, SitiveniRabuka (leader of Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei), won just eight seats...
was appointed as deputy party leader of the People's Alliance led by SitiveniRabuka. He ran for the 2022 Fijian general elections and was able to secure...
a republic on 7 October, ending the Fijian monarchy. Major-General SitiveniRabuka, who had masterminded the coups, formed an interim military government...
of Fiji. Since 2022, there have been three deputy prime ministers. "SitiveniRabuka is Fiji's new prime minister". RNZ. 24 December 2022. Retrieved 14...
a coalition government was formed by the People's Alliance (led by SitiveniRabuka) with the National Federation Party and the Social Democratic Liberal...
short-lived, however. Two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel SitiveniRabuka seriously undermined the social and economic stability, and the international...
conducted by SitiveniRabuka, the Council reverted to being an exclusively aristocratic body, its membership reserved to high chiefs. Rabuka argued that...