So the Roko Tui Dreketi and head of the Burebasaga Confederacy, Ro Teimumu Kepa, has bowed to the inevitable and accepted that after the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, abandoned her candidacy, all hope of her becoming president of Fiji has been lost.
To save face, she has backed off herself rather than face the humiliation of a very public rejection. And now the former president of FijiFirst and the Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, is set to secure a second term as President, and Ro Teimumu’s ambitions to be head of state lie in tatters.
It is a humiliating exit, whichever way it is spun. Because Ro Teimumu is blaming her compañeros in SODELPA rather than accept responsibility for screwing up her own campaign for the presidency. She appears to have thought she would coast into the top job. But it has been a huge miscalculation.
Now, according to Monday’s Fiji Sun (see below), Ro Teimumu is pursuing the consolation prize of head of the reconstituted Great Council of Chiefs. If she is successful, she would become the first woman to head the organisation. IF. Because she reportedly has powerful enemies – among them the Tui Cakau and Speaker of the Parliament , Ratu Naiqama Lalablavu.
It is all as clear as mud as things stand right now, like most power plays in the vanua and especially when they involve high chiefs. But as Grubsheet sees it, Ro Teimumu’s candidacy for the presidency had been dead in the water for some time because Ratu Wiliame has become Sitiveni Rabuka’s enabler – facing down any attempt to bring him to account for his government’s constitutional excesses, including its illegal appointments of John Rabuku as Acting DPP and Alipate Qetaki as a judge.
Add to that the disclosure that Ro Teimumu is one of the pilgrims on last September-October’s controversial Fiji Airways trip to Israel who hasn’t paid her own way – leading to a reported shortfall of $2.5-million in the cost of the trip – and her candidacy for the presidency was as dead in the water as the Dead Sea in a drought.
A freeloader in State House as an example to the nation? Surely not.
A story still evolving. But get set for a very messy fall-out.
There’s a small matter of a series of sexual harassment allegations against the President that will find a new resting place under a rug, it seems.
Word around is that her name would be put forward as a nominee for the chairperson for the unconstitutional GCC when they meet later this month, her strong contestant would be high chief of Bau, with the Men squad at unconstitutional GCC and the Eio & Donu Sara squad she could easily face defeat in it as well, but again this is Fiji currently under a serious leadership crisis so anything can happen any day and at any time.
Records will have it that RTK is a very accomplished politician ! Call her shrewd if you like but she is not a Johnny come lately into political manipulation and assassination. She is now resigning after her dog Tanya Waqanika has been able to get her bidding done via DPM Manoa Kamikamica. Fellow Rewa chief and RTK loyalist Ro Ilisoni Vuidreketi is headed to Washington as Ambassdor. Likewise Burebasaga loyalist lawyer Jovilisi Suveinakama is headed to United Kingdom.
Minister ITaukei Affairs has appointed Anare Jale to Fijian Holdings of course at RTK’s bidding as Jale is related to the late Mr Kepa from Ono – I Lau! Cena Bolabola is now on the Citizens Constitutional Commission done via Tanya Waqanika through DPM Manoa.
Check Permanent Secretary for Education Selina Kuruleca’s application referees and you’ll find it’s Tanya Waqanika and Emele Duituturaga and Manoa Kamikamica again through his uncle PSC Chair Luke Rokovada gets Selina into MOE! Who’s pulling the strings from the outside ? Ro Teimumu Kepa!
Radrodro’s weakness for being unable to keep it in his pants gave himself away as he fell for the great temptress Lynda Tabuya! But guess what…it has the writings of the Burebasaga Killers all over it ! Lynda Tabuya is another loyal Burebasaga servant and known to be a RTK ally! If you look hard enough, you will see that RTK will never forgive Radrodro for throwing her out from Presidency of Sodelpa and handing it to Tui Cakau. Likewise she knows Radrodro brought in Rabuka to Sodelpa and got him to gain a political come back!
Never rule that lady out ! She’s too accomplished and everyone that knows her, knows she has Bill Gavoka and Vasu on her fingers doing her dirty job and yes both are from Burebasaga! Watch out Rabuka for she can easily have you thrown into prison ! She’s already said the same at public gatherings.
Agreed. She’s very accomplished. I would say very conniving but that could be interpreted as disrespectful by some, especially her conniving dogs, Lynda the retriever and Tanya the bulldog.
Her bone with Radrodro extends also to his ensuring she fails to takeover as President SODELPA after Ratu Epenisa’s term expired. The current SODELPA President was brought in by Radrodro and they’re now together with the GS SODELPA engaged in a running battle that will finally destroy the Party.
I’m sure, PAP are licking their lips at the possibility of a SODELPA disintegration as that will further strengthen their support from iTaukei voters.
She will get govt appointments soon to get her finances rolling. She is broke as hell and one of the defaulters of Israel pilgrim trip. High chief but no shame left. Only there for self service. Will try to throw weight around GCC and wait for another chance at Presidency after Tui Macuata second term finishes. Very opportunist person. Self before service to people. Should be charged by FICAC and police for defaulting and deceiving Fiji Airways for non payment.
Look on the bright side. Thousands Indo Fijians took off overseas already. No foreign investments. Chiefs and thieves will ruin this nation.
Kepa has always been a silent force behind racial upheavals in Fiji. Her ability to stay hidden in the shadows and appear as an angel to save the people is a mask hiding the truth: she is a politically opportunistic person and only in it for the money as well as the power.
From the Israel scandal to her continued involvement in influencing government through her stooges, the marama is a wolf in disguise. No one should be fooled by her attempts to look humble and calm. Internally, she is a caged lion waiting for her moment.
The fact that Rabuka (sky fox) managed to get the coalition banded together through false promises of presidency and other sweet nothings clearly shows how treacherous he is in his own quest for power and glory.
Come the next election, these things should not be forgotten. Between this government and the FijiFirst, people are quickly beginning to realize that having the FijiFirst in power was way better then the current government which is currently undertaking ethnic cleansing in the civil service.
The statistic don’t lie and if 20,000 Indians have left Fiji in January alone, the writing on the wall is clear for the “vulagis” and that is that Fiji is no longer the home they knew it to be. It is heading towards becoming the next Zimbabwe and the people made a mistake appointing Rabuka who is quickly becoming the next Mugabe.
The seniority of chiefs can be determined in two ways: if right of conquest is used then Chairmanship of the GCC should go to Kubuna, the Vunivalu of Bau Ratu Apenisa.
If on the basis of Seniority, of service to the Vanua and the community is the criteria then the GCC Chair should go to the Momo Levu na Taukei Navo, Rt Meli Saukuru of Dratabu, Nadi who has been serving his Vanua continuously for 47 years, the longest serving of all current chiefs. Rt Meli is a former GCC nominee to the Senate, elected Member of Parliament and former Minister for Multi Ethnic Affairs in the SDL Govt. He serves on a number of boards.He is a fit 77 years of age and is from western Fiji where most economic resources of the country come from.