16 Facts About Allan Kemakeza

Allan Kemakeza served as Speaker of the National Parliament, from September 2010 to 2014.

Allan Kemakeza joined the police force in 1972 and served in various positions until he resigned in December 1988 in order to stand in the 1989 parliamentary election.

In June 2000, Kemakeza was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for National Unity, Reconciliation and Peace under Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare.

Allan Kemakeza was elected as prime minister by Parliament on 17 December 2001 in the first round of voting, receiving 29 votes out of the 50 seats in parliament, and sworn in on 19 December 2001.

Problems still continue today, but Allan Kemakeza's government allowed the international community, including peacekeepers, to help solve the problems.

Allan Kemakeza has attracted some controversy through his 2005 visit to Japan's Yasukuni War Shrine, which honours Japanese WWII combatants and 14 convicted war criminals.

Allan Kemakeza remained in office through a full four-year parliamentary term, a distinguishing feat in Solomon Islands politics; he survived three motions of no confidence during the term.

Allan Kemakeza soon announced his resignation as prime minister, but one of his allies, Deputy Prime Minister Snyder Rini, was elected to succeed him.

Allan Kemakeza was appointed leader of the governing coalition and it seemed that he would still have much power within the government.

Allan Kemakeza became Deputy Speaker of the National Parliament on 24 April 2006, having been elected with 25 votes from the members of the 50-seat Parliament.

The raid was allegedly an attempt to drive the firm's Australian lawyers, who Allan Kemakeza thought held too much influence over national financial institutions, out of Solomon Islands.

Allan Kemakeza faced a potential prison sentence as a result of the conviction.

The government claimed that Allan Kemakeza had left the opposition and was named as the chairman of the board of the Solomon Islands Water Authority, but Allan Kemakeza denied this and said that he was not making a deal.

Allan Kemakeza lost his seat, and Cabinet position, in the August 2010 general election.

Allan Kemakeza then announced he was a candidate for the position of Speaker of the National Parliament, to be chosen from outside Parliament.

Allan Kemakeza was elected by Parliament with 27 votes, to 17 for Billy Hilly and 4 for Fono.