Iroijlaplap Iroijlaplap ( Marshallese: ; feminine: Leroijlaplap, ) are the traditional paramount chiefs in the Marshall Islands. Ordinary chiefs bear the title of Iroij (feminine: Leroij); -' is a superlative suffix. Legal basis Article III of the Consti ...

Jurelang Zedkaia (13 July 1950 – 7 October 2015) was a Marshallese politician and

. He served as the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

Marshall Islands The Marshall Islands ( mh, Ṃajeḷ), officially the Republic of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Aolepān Aorōkin Ṃajeḷ),'' () is an independent island country and microstate near the Equator in the Pacific Ocean, slightly west of the Internati ...

from 2009 to 2012. He was

elected Elected may refer to: * "Elected" (song), by Alice Cooper, 1973 * ''Elected'' (EP), by Ayreon, 2008 *The Elected, an American indie rock band See also *Election An election is a formal group decision-making process by which a population ...

as the country's 5th head of state on October 26, 2009, following the ouster of his predecessor,

Litokwa Tomeing Iroij Litokwa Tomeing (14 October 1939 – 12 October 2020) was the President of the Marshall Islands from January 2008 until October 2009. Biography Early and personal life Litokwa Tomeing was born on Wotje Atoll, in the Japanese-administered ...

, in the country's first successful

vote of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...

Biography

Zedkaia was the ''

'', or traditional

paramount chief A paramount chief is the English-language designation for the highest-level political leader in a regional or local polity or country administered politically with a chief-based system. This term is used occasionally in anthropological and arch ...

, of

Majuro Atoll Majuro (; Marshallese: ' ) is the capital and largest city of the Marshall Islands. It is also a large coral atoll of 64 islands in the Pacific Ocean. It forms a legislative district of the Ratak (Sunrise) Chain of the Marshall Islands. The ato ...

, which is the location of the country's capital,

Arno The Arno is a river in the Tuscany region of Italy. It is the most important river of central Italy after the Tiber. Source and route The river originates on Monte Falterona in the Casentino area of the Apennines, and initially takes a s ...

and Mili atolls. Before becoming president in 2009, Zedkaia was a five-term elected

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

in the

Nitijela The Legislature of the Marshall Islands ( mh, Nitijeļā ) has 33 members, elected for a four-year term in single-seat and five multi-seat constituencies. The last election was November 18, 2019. Elections in the Marshall Islands are officially ...

, or legislature. He became vice speaker of the Nitijela, before becoming the

Speaker Speaker may refer to: Society and politics * Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly * Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture * A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially: ** I ...

of the legislature in January 2008. Zedkaia worked in pharmacy for 15 years and 6 years in the

Local Government. Zedikaia entered the

in 1981 as representative and senator of Majuro Atoll, a post he served in the duration of his time in the Nitijela. Swearing in of President Jurelang Zedkaia

Swearing in of President Jurelang Zedkaia

President of the Marshall Islands

Zedkaia's predecessor,

, was defeated in a

on October 21, 2009, in a motion led by former president

Kessai Note Kessai Hesa Note (born August 7, 1950 in Ailinglaplap) was President of the Marshall Islands from 2000 to 2008. Elected in 1979 alongside Litokwa Tomeing, Note is one of the two longest-serving members of Nitijeļā. He was the Minister of Inter ...

. The ouster of President Tomeing marked the first successful vote of no confidence in Marshallese history. A

presidential election A presidential election is the election of any head of state whose official title is President. Elections by country Albania The president of Albania is elected by the Assembly of Albania who are elected by the Albanian public. Chile The pre ...

, the outcome of which was determined by the 33-member Nitijela, took place on October 26, 2009. Speaker Zedkaia and former President Kessai Note were the only candidates for the presidency. Zedkaia was elected as President on October 26, 2009, defeating Note by 17-15, giving Zedkaia the one-vote minimum majority needed to win. He was sworn into office on November 2, 2009. Zedkaia nominated

Alvin Jacklick Alvin Jacklick (born 1949) is a Marshallese politician and government minister. In the late 1980s he was elected mayor of Ebeye, at a time when he was described as a "young radical". He was involved in the projects of the Kwajalein Atoll Developm ...

as the new Speaker, who was confirmed without opposition. Zedkaia's mother,

Leroij Iroijlaplap ( Marshallese: ; feminine: Leroijlaplap, ) are the traditional paramount chiefs in the Marshall Islands. Ordinary chiefs bear the title of Iroij (feminine: Leroij); -' is a superlative suffix. Legal basis Article III of the Const ...

Atama Zedkaia Leroijbr>AtamaZedkaia (1931 – November 19, 2010) was the Marshallese paramount chief, or Leroijlaplap, of Majuro. Leroij Zedkaia spearheaded the movement to break the Marshall Islands away from the rest of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Isl ...

, the

, died on November 19, 2010, at the age of 79. Zedkaia had previously carried out chiefly duties on behalf of his mother during her lifetime. President Zedkaia assumed the chiefly titles for all of the lands on Majuro that had been previously governed by Leroij Atama following her death. He then assumed all chiefly duties in his own name. The

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of Etiquette, protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive ...

for his mother was the largest to take place in the Marshall Islands since the death of President

Amata Kabua Amata Kabua (November 17, 1928 – December 19, 1996) was the first President of the Marshall Islands from 1979 until his death in 1996 (five consecutive terms). Background Amata Kabua was a scion of Marshallese Royalty. Amata Kabua is the son ...

in 1996. Zedkaia died in Majuro on 7 October 2015, aged 65. Speaker Jacklick, President Jurelang Zedkaia, Ambassador Martha Campbell

References

External links

Islands Business: Jurelang Zedkaia becomes new Marshall Islands President
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zedkaia, Jurelang 1950 births 2015 deaths Marshallese chiefs Members of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands Speakers of the Legislature of the Marshall Islands Presidents of the Marshall Islands People from Majuro United Democratic Party (Marshall Islands) politicians 21st-century Marshallese politicians