Early general elections were held in

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

between 17 and 24 September 1977. They followed elections in March which resulted in a

hung parliament A hung parliament is a term used in legislatures primarily under the Westminster system to describe a situation in which no single political party or pre-existing coalition (also known as an alliance or bloc) has an absolute majority of legisl ...

and no party able to gain a majority. The new election resulted in a landslide win for the

Alliance Party (Fiji) The Alliance Party, was the ruling political party in Fiji from 1966 to 1987. Founded in the early 1960s, its leader was Kamisese Mara, the founding father of the modern Fijian nation. Widely seen as the political vehicle of the traditional F ...

led by Prime Minister

Kamisese Mara Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, (6 May 1920 – 18 April 2004) was a Fijian politician, who served as Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, when Fiji gained its independence from the United Kingdom, and, apart from one brief interruption in 1987, the fi ...

, which won 36 seats out of 52. It was aided by a split in the main opposition, the

National Federation Party The National Federation Party is a Fijian political party founded by A. D. Patel, A.D. Patel in November 1968, as a merger of the Federation Party and the National Democratic Party (Fiji, 1960s), National Democratic Party. Though it claimed to ...

(NFP) and a decline in support for the Fijian Nationalist Party.

Background

The March elections had seen the NFP win 26 seats, the Alliance 24, the Fijian Nationalist Party one and an independent one. With divisions apparent in the NFP, Governor-General

George Cakobau Ratu Sir George Kadavulevu Cakobau (6 November 1912 – 25 November 1989) was Governor-General of Fiji from 1973 to 1983. A great-grandson of Ratu Seru Epenisa Cakobau, the King of Bau who had unified all the tribes of Fiji under his reign ...

asked Alliance Party leader and incumbent Prime Minister Kamisese Mara to form a government, claiming that Mara was able to command a majority. However, in June the Alliance Party attempted to pass a motion of confidence in the government but lost as the sole Fijian Nationalist Party MP voted against. At the end of June Cakobau dissolved parliament, resulting in fresh elections being held. Prior to the elections, the NFP openly split in two, with the faction of leader

Sidiq Koya Siddiq Moidin Koya (29 February 1924 – 25 April 1993) was a Indians in Fiji, Fijian Indian politician, Statesman and Leader of the Opposition (Fiji), Opposition leader. He succeeded to the leadership of the mostly Indians in Fiji, Indo-Fij ...

and a rival NFP group running against each other in 24 seats. Koya's faction was symbolised by a dove, with the rival faction using a hibiscus flower In August Fijian Nationalist Party leader Sakeasi Butadroka was given a six month jail sentence for inciting racial hatred.

Results

Koya lost his seat to a rival NFP candidate

Jai Ram Reddy Jai Ram Reddy, CF (12 May 1937 – 29 August 2022) was an Indo-Fijian politician, who had a distinguished career in both the legislative and judicial branches of the Fijian government. In 1998, he received Fiji's highest honour, the Companion ...

.Overwhelming win for Alliance in Fiji general election
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', November 1977, pp19–20 Sole independent MP Osea Gavidi was narrowly re-elected, with five Alliance MPs being elected unopposed.

Aftermath

Following the elections, Mara appointed a twelve-member cabinet.

became

Leader of the Opposition The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest political party not in government, typical in countries utilizing the parliamentary system form of government. The leader of the opposition is typically se ...

Bill Clark William Clark (1770–1838) was an American soldier and explorer; governor of Missouri Territory. William Clark may also refer to: Business * W. H. Clark (brewer) (William Henry Clark, c. 1815–c. 1870), brewer in South Australia * William Bell ...

later became Minister of Lands and Minerals and Sakiasi Waqanivavalagi became Minister of Youth and Sport. In a cabinet reshuffle in January 1981, Clark became Minister of Energy,

David Toganivalu David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

became Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mohammed Ramzan became Minister of Health, Tomasi Vakatora became Minister of Labour, Industry Relations and Immigration, Ted Beddoes became Minister of Tourism, transport and Civil Aviation and Waqanivavalagi added Lands and Mineral Resources to his Youth and Sport portfolio.Fiji minitry is changed
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', February 1981, pp31–32

References

Notes

{{Fijian elections 1977 09

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

Background

Results

Aftermath

See also

References

Notes