ʻAisake Eke

ʻAisake Valu Eke is a Tongan politician who has served as prime minister of Tonga since 22 January 2025. He also served in the Cabinet as Minister for Finance and National Planning from 2014 to 2017.

Education

Eke received a degree in economics during the 1980s at the University of the South Pacific. He undertook his doctorate at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia, where he was awarded a Doctor of Business Administration for his thesis "An exploratory study on the quality of service in the public sector in Tonga" completed in 2013.

Member of Parliament

A former Secretary for Finance at the Ministry of Finance, he was first elected to the Legislative Assembly at the November 2010 general election as MP for Tongatapu 5. Though close to the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, and despite having considered running as a party member, he stood as an independent, taking the seat with 24.1% of the vote and a 63-vote margin; Tongatapu 5 was thus the only constituency on Tongatapu (Tonga's main island) not to be won by the party.

Once elected, he told the press there was much to be done to improve the economy, and said the government should facilitate private sector activity.

In October 2011, he was one of several MPs to protest against Parliament voting large allowances to any of its members on sick leave overseas. Stating that MPs should not be spending more public money on themselves at a time when the economy was weak, he was one of eight MPs to vote against the increased allowances (along with ʻAkilisi Pohiva, Semisi Sika, Sitiveni Halapua, Sangster Saulala, Sione Taione, Falisi Tupou and Moʻale Finau, all members of the Democratic Party). The motion was adopted by twelve votes to eight.

Finance Minister

In January 2014, Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakano appointed him Minister of Finance, following the sacking of Lisiate ‘Akolo over a disagreement concerning the budget. He subsequently kept that position in Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pohiva's government. In March 2017, however, he abstained during a parliamentary vote on a motion of no confidence against the government he was part of, and was compelled to resign. He subsequently lost his seat at the 2017 election.

He was re-elected in the seat of Tongatapu 5 in the 2021 election. In the aftermath of the election he was one of three candidates for Prime Minister, but was ultimately defeated by Siaosi Sovaleni, who won the Premiership with 16 votes. In May 2022 he was absolved of bribery by the Supreme Court.

Prime Minister

On 24 December 2024, Eke was elected prime minister by the Legislative Assembly of Tonga, defeating Viliami Latu by 16 votes to eight. King Tupou VI formally appointed Eke as prime minister on 22 January 2025. His cabinet was announced on 28 January and included four appointees to parliament, two of whom were women. The cabinet also included one noble, Crown Prince Tupoutoʻa ʻUlukalala, who became foreign minister.

In February 2025 Eke announced that the previous government's decision to privatise Vavaʻu International Airport would be reversed.

Honours

* Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III, Commander (31 July 2008).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Eke, 'Aisake
Members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga
Living people
People from Tongatapu
University of Southern Queensland alumni
Prime ministers of Tonga
Independent politicians in Tonga
Ministers of finance of Tonga
Government ministers of Tonga
Year of birth missing (living people)
Knight Commanders of the Order of Queen Sālote Tupou III