PM Rabuka hits back as SODELPA accuses PA of betrayal
The PM rejected SODELPA’s claim that a promise concerning the nomination of the President had been made as part of the coalition agreement.
Monday 26 October 2026 | 11:30
A bitter divide has emerged within the Coalition Government, with Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) challenging the legitimacy of Bill 32 and accusing the People’s Alliance (PA) party of betraying its commitments.
Yesterday Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka hit back, rejecting the party’s claims and defending the proposed constitutional process.
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Mr Rabuka, the PA leader, said the proposed Constitution (Amendment) Bill 32 could not take effect unless the Bill completed the required approval process and became law.
Responding to criticism from SODELPA general secretary Levi Vere, Mr Rabuka said the proposed provisions allowed a State of Emergency to be declared and Parliament’s term to be extended by up to 12 months were not yet law and could not be invoked.
He said the Bill would have to be passed, receive a favourable referendum outcome, receive presidential assent and be gazetted before it could take effect.
The PM rejected SODELPA’s claim that a promise concerning the nomination of the President had been made as part of the coalition agreement.
“The key coalition promises, as they claim, did not include President nomination,” Mr Rabuka told this masthead.
His response comes after SODELPA accused PA party of failing to honour coalition commitments and pushing a Cabinet-drafted constitution that, it says, risks weakening democratic accountability and compromising indigenous rights.
Mr Vere said SODELPA would not support Bill 32 in its current form, arguing that having the parliamentary numbers to pass legislation did not make it right.
The party raised concerns about provisions dealing with emergency powers, immunity, the role of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs) and ownership of mineral resources.
Mr Rabuka also rejected SODELPA’s claim that PA party had recruited 11 former FijiFirst MPs to secure parliamentary numbers.
“The 11 former FijiFirst MPs were not recruited; they voluntarily joined the Coalition,” Mr Rabuka said.
SODELPA argued that bringing the former FijiFirst MPs into the Coalition was a political choice rather than a necessity and that the move had sidelined party members who had opposed the previous government.
Mr Rabuka also said the Constitution established principles, while laws determined how those principles were put into practice.
“The Constitution only lays out the principles; the laws (Acts) direct the action,” he said.
SODELPA criticised Clause 47, which it says places ownership of minerals, oil and gas with the State while providing landowners with a share of royalties.
The party says it supports constitutional reform, but will not back a new framework that it believes weakens indigenous rights, traditional leadership and democratic safeguards.
