Fiji Elections Office Receive Complaint Against Ro Teimumu

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) will await the response from relevant statutory bodies today regarding a complaint lodged against Ro Teimumu Kepa last Friday.

This was confirmed by FEO acting Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, yesterday.

It is understood that the complaint lodged at FEO is against Ro Teimumu contradicting the Electoral Act by holding statutory board positions while being actively involved in politics on the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) management board.

Ro Teimumu was last week appointed as the board chairperson for Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Service (TSLS) and is a board member of Airports Fiji Limited (AFL).

“The Fijian Elections Office confirms that a complaint against Ro Teimumu Kepa was lodged on Friday, October 20, 2023,” Ms Mataiciwa said.

“On the same day, the FEO wrote to relevant statutory bodies to request necessary information related to the complaint. This information is expected to be provided to the FEO by Monday, October 23, 2023.

“In accordance with our complaints process, once the information is received, we will forward it to Ro Teimumu Kepa to allow her to provide a response. Her response will determine our next course of action, whether to escalate the matter further or close it.”

SODELPA general secretary Viliame Takayawa said it was important to follow the law and protect the party.

Questions were sent to Ro Teimumu, but no response was received when this edition went to press.

According to the Political Parties Act: 14 (1) A public officer shall not— 

•  (a) be eligible to be an applicant or a member of a proposed political party or a political party registered under this Act;
•  (b) be eligible to hold office in a proposed political party or a political party registered under this Act;
•  (c) engage in political activity that may compromise or be seen to compromise the political neutrality of that person’s office in an election; or
•  (d) publicly indicate support for or opposition to any proposed political party or a political party registered under this Act or candidate in an election.

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