Prime Minister of Fiji Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Fiji
Flag of Fiji
Coat of arms of Fiji
Incumbent Sitiveni Rabuka since 24 December 2022
Government of Fiji Cabinet of Fiji Office of the Prime Minister Parliament of Fiji
Style	The Honourable
Member of	Cabinet
Seat	Government Buildings
Term length	Four years
Precursor	Chief Minister of Fiji
Inaugural holder	Kamisese Mara
Formation	10 October 1970; 54 years ago (1970-10-10)
Deputy	Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji
Salary	FJ$ 320,000/US$ 145,100 annually

The prime minister of Fiji is the main leader of the government in the Republic of Fiji. This important role is set up by Fiji's 2013 Constitution. The prime minister leads the group of top government officials called the Cabinet. They also choose and remove other ministers who help run the country.

What the Prime Minister Does
History of the Office
Leaders of Fiji (1970–Present)
Images for kids
See also

What the Prime Minister Does

Fiji used to be a British colony. Because of this, its government works a lot like the British system. This is called the Westminster system. In this system, the government leaders are responsible to the lawmakers in Parliament.

Under the 2013 Constitution, the prime minister is usually the leader of the political party that wins more than half the seats in Parliament. If no single party wins that many seats, then the Parliament members vote to choose the prime minister.

Even though the prime minister's vote in Cabinet meetings counts the same as any other minister's, they are usually the most powerful person in the government. They have a big say in how the country is run. The prime minister also picks the other ministers who work in the Cabinet.

History of the Office

The first prime minister of Fiji was Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. He took office on October 10, 1970. This was the day Fiji became independent from Britain. Before this, Mara was Fiji's only chief minister starting in 1967.

Mara served as prime minister for a long time. His first term lasted until April 13, 1987. He returned to the job on December 5, 1987, and served until June 2, 1992. As of 2025, Kamisese Mara is still the longest-serving prime minister in Fiji's history.

Leaders of Fiji (1970–Present)

Since gaining independence, Fiji has had several prime ministers. Here are some of the key leaders and their times in office:

Kamisese Mara (1970–1987, 1987–1992): Fiji's first prime minister, serving two separate terms. He led the country through its early years of independence.
Timoci Bavadra (1987): Served a very short term before a military takeover.
Sitiveni Rabuka (1992–1999, 2022–present): A former Major General, he became prime minister in the 1990s. He returned to the role in December 2022.
Mahendra Chaudhry (1999–2000): He was Fiji's first prime minister of Indian descent.
Laisenia Qarase (2000–2006): He served two terms, leading the country through a period of change.
Frank Bainimarama (2007–2022): A former naval officer, he led the government for many years, first as an interim leader and then as elected prime minister.