by Georgina Maka’a
Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele has confirmed the resignation of 10 cabinet ministers, who tendered their resignations to Government House last night.
The mass departure follows weeks of political wrangling within the Manele-led Government of National Unity and Transformation (GNUT), which took office following the 2024 national elections.
Leading the group is Deputy Prime Minister Fredrick Kologeto, who also serves as the Minister for Civil Aviation and Communications. Kologeto is the parliamentary wing leader of the People First Party (PFP), one of the three core parties in the GNUT coalition formed after the 2024 national election.
In an official statement, Manele confirmed he received formal advice from the Governor General’s office regarding the following ministerial resignations:
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Paul Bosawai – Health and Medical Services
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Clezy Rore – Justice and Legal Affairs
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Harry Kuma – Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration
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Derick Manu’ari – Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification
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Wayne Ghemu – Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology
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Francis Sade – Public Service
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Daniel Waneoroa – Rural Development
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Stephen Kumi – National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace
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Franklyn Wasi – Agriculture and Livestock
Prime Minister Manele could not say whether he still commands a majority to maintain government.
However, he called on all public servants to remain focused on their duties and continue delivering essential services.
“For now, the priority is for the public service to continue its important work while political leaders engage to resolve the issues before us,” Manele said.
“It is too early to speculate on any outcome, and we will continue to keep the public informed as developments unfold.”
He urged the public to remain calm, emphasizing that the Solomon Islands’ Constitution provides clear democratic processes for addressing political developments.
He assured that these processes will be respected as Members of Parliament continue their discussions.
This latest shake-up will likely test Manele’s leadership for the third time, having survived two previous attempts to oust him.
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More to follow