Prime Minister of Solomon Islands facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Prime Minister of Solomon Islands
Coat of Arms of Solomon Islands
Incumbent Matthew Wale since 15 May 2026
Residence	Red House, Honiara
Appointer	Elected by the members of Parliament
Term length	Until next election
Inaugural holder	Peter Kenilorea
Formation	7 July 1978
Salary	143,000 SBD/US$ 17,439 annually

The Prime Minister of Solomon Islands is a very important leader in the Solomon Islands. Think of them as the main boss of the government, chosen by the people's representatives in the National Parliament. Their job is to lead the country and make sure things run smoothly for everyone.

Currently, Matthew Wale is the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. He started this important role in May 2026.

The Solomon Islands is also part of the Commonwealth realm. This means they share a connection with the British Monarchy. However, the daily duties of the head of state are handled by the Governor-General. The Governor-General is chosen by the Parliament to represent the monarch.

The Prime Minister lives in a special official home called Red House, located in the capital city, Honiara.

How the Prime Minister is Chosen and Works

The country's rulebook explains how the Prime Minister is chosen. Members of the National Parliament vote to elect the Prime Minister. Once the Prime Minister is chosen, they then suggest other people to become government ministers. The Governor-General officially appoints these ministers.

A Prime Minister can be removed from their job if the National Parliament votes that they no longer have their trust. This is called a no-confidence motion. The Prime Minister also leaves office if they decide to resign, if they are no longer a member of Parliament, or if they become the Speaker or Deputy Speaker of Parliament. If the position becomes empty, the Governor-General will choose a temporary Prime Minister until a new one can be properly elected.

The election process for the Prime Minister is very fair. Any member of Parliament can be suggested for the job, but they need at least four other members to support their nomination. The election happens through a secret ballot, meaning no one knows who voted for whom. The Governor-General oversees this process. If no candidate wins more than half the votes right away, they keep voting. In each new round, the candidate with the fewest votes is removed until someone wins a clear majority.

Leaders of the Solomon Islands: A List of Prime Ministers

Here is a list of all the people who have served as Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands since the country became independent. Each Prime Minister played a role in shaping the nation's history. The colors next to their names in the timeline below show which political party they belonged to.

      Solomon Islands United Party (UP)       People's Alliance Party (PAP)       Independent       Group for National Unity and Reconciliation (GNUR)       Solomon Islands Liberal Party (SILP)       People's Progressive Party (PPP)       Association of Independent Members (AIM)       Solomon Islands Social Credit Party (Socreds)       Reform Democratic Party (RDPSI)       Solomon Islands Party for Rural Advancement (SIPRA)       Democratic Alliance Party (DAP)       Ownership, Unity and Responsibility Party (OUR Party)       Solomon Islands Democratic Party (SIDP)

List of Prime Ministers of Solomon Islands

No.	Picture	Name (Born–Died)	Election Year	Time in Office			Political Party (Coalition)
				Started	Ended	Total Time
1		Peter Kenilorea (1943–2016)	1980	7 July 1978	31 August 1981	3 years, 55 days	UP
2		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	—	31 August 1981	19 November 1984	3 years, 80 days	PAP
(1)		Sir Peter Kenilorea (1943–2016)	1984	19 November 1984	1 December 1986	2 years, 12 days	UP
3		Ezekiel Alebua (1947–2022)	—	1 December 1986	28 March 1989	2 years, 117 days	UP
(2)		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	1989	28 March 1989	18 June 1993	4 years, 82 days	PAP (GNUR)
4		Sir Francis Billy Hilly (1948–2025)	1993	18 June 1993	7 November 1994	1 year, 142 days	Independent (NCP)
(2)		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	—	7 November 1994	27 August 1997	2 years, 293 days	GNUR
5		Bartholomew Ulufa'alu (1950–2007)	1997	27 August 1997	30 June 2000	2 years, 308 days	SILP (SIAC)
6		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	—	30 June 2000	17 December 2001	1 year, 170 days	PPP
7		Allan Kemakeza (born 1950)	2001	17 December 2001	20 April 2006	4 years, 124 days	PAP
8		Snyder Rini (1948–2025)	2006	20 April 2006	4 May 2006	14 days	AIM
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	—	4 May 2006	20 December 2007	1 year, 230 days	Socreds
9		Derek Sikua (born 1959)	—	20 December 2007	25 August 2010	2 years, 248 days	SILP
10		Danny Philip (born 1953)	2010	25 August 2010	16 November 2011	1 year, 83 days	RDPSI
11		Gordon Darcy Lilo (born 1965)	—	16 November 2011	9 December 2014	3 years, 23 days	SIPRA
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	2014	9 December 2014	15 November 2017	2 years, 341 days	Independent
12		Rick Houenipwela (born 1958)	—	15 November 2017	24 April 2019	1 year, 160 days	DAP
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	2019	24 April 2019	2 May 2024	5 years, 8 days	OUR Party
13		Jeremiah Manele (born 1968)	2024	2 May 2024	15 May 2026	2 years, 13 days	OUR Party
14		Matthew Wale (born 1968)	—	15 May 2026	Incumbent	4 days	SIDP

Timeline of Prime Ministers

More About Solomon Islands Government

In Spanish: Primer Ministro de las Islas Salomón para niños

• Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands: This is the second-in-command to the Prime Minister.
• Governor-General of Solomon Islands: This person represents the King or Queen of the Commonwealth in the Solomon Islands.
• Leader of the Opposition (Solomon Islands): This is the leader of the main political party that is not in power.
• Leader of the Independent Members: This person leads the members of Parliament who do not belong to a specific political party.