Jeremiah Manele becomes the 19th Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands. Photo: AFP / RNZ Pacific
Jeremiah Manele has been elected prime minister of Solomon Islands polling 31 votes to 18 over rival candidate and former opposition leader Mathew Wale. One MP was absent for the vote.
The final result of the election by secret ballot was annouced by the Governor General Sir David Vunagi on the steps of Parliament a short time ago in Honiara.
Going into the vote, Manele's camp had claimed the support of 28 MPs while Wale's camp said they had 20.
Manele's victory signals a return of the incumbent government formerly headed by Manasseh Sogavare.
Manele's administration, which calls itself the Government for National Unity and Transformation (GNUT), is made up of three parties; his own Our Party is the largest followed by Manasseh Maelanga's People's First Party and Jamie Vokia's Kandere Party.
Collectively, the parties came out of the election with 19 MPs but have added nine more to their ranks. We will know which MPs have joined what parties once the registrar of political parties updates its political party membership lists.
In the lead up to the election, Manele and his coalition partners were working on merging their policy priorities into a 100 day plan which they are expected to announce to the public in the coming days.
Once Manele has sorted the compostion of his Cabinet, he will notify the Governor General to set a date for the first sitting of Parliament.
'I will discharge my duties diligently and with integrity' - Manele
In his first national address on the steps of Parliament, Manele congratulated the people of Solomon Islands on a successful election and called for peace.
"Past prime ministers' elections have been met with the act of violence and destruction. Our economy and livelihoods have suffered because of this violence. However, today we show the world that we are better than that," he said.
"We must uphold and respect the democratic process of electing our prime minister and set and example for our children and their children."
Manele paid tribute to the traditional landowners of the island of Guadalcanal on which the capital Honiara is situated.
He also outlined next steps starting with the formation of his cabinet which he said he would announce in the coming days and the first sitting of parliament.
He said members of his coalition government were finalising their 100 day plan which they hoped to unveil soon.
Manele also listed a number of proposed laws that they intend to bring to Parliament.
"These bills include the value added tax bill, special economics zone bill, the mineral resources bill, the forestry bill and others.
"Cabinet will meet to decide on the priority legislative and policy programs for 2024. Which includes whether we need to revise the 2024 budget or not," he said.
Finally, he said he was very humbled by the trust that his fellow MPs have bestowed upon him.
"This is indeed a historic moment for my people of Isabel Province to have one of their sons as the prime minister of Solomon Islands.
"I will discharge my duties diligently and with integrity. I will at all times put the interests of our people and country above all other interests.
"Leading a nation is never an easy task. I ask that you remember me and your government in your daily prayers so we may serve as our lord commands.
He pledged his loyalty and allegiance to the country's national anthem, national flag, and the constitution.
"We are one people, we are one nation, we are Solomon Islands. To God be the glory great things He has done. May God bless you all may God bless the 12th parliament and may God bless Solomon Islands from shore to shore."
Who is Jeremiah Manele
Jeremiah Manele who turns 56 this year is the member of parliament for Hograno Kia Havulei in Isabel Province.
He is the country's first ever prime minister from Isabel where his home village is Samasodu.
Manele served as minister of foreign affairs in the last government and ran in this election under the Our Party Banner however he has previously been affiliated with the Democratic Alliance Party.
He was first elected to parliament in 2014 and was the leader of the opposition in the country's 10th Parliament. He has also previously served as the minister for development planning and aid coordination in the 11th Parliament.
Prior to entering Parliament, Manele was a longserving public servant and diplomat representing the country as Charge de Affairs of the Solomon Islands Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Papua New Guinea and a Certificate in Foreign Service and International Relations from Oxford University.
Police monitoring security situation overnight
Police in Solomon Islands will maintain a heightened security presence in the capital overnight amid reports of potential protests being staged against the result of the election of the prime minister today.
Deputy police commissioner Ian Vaevaso who was in charge of security operations in Honiara for the vote said things were calm and peaceful after the governor general announced the result but they would be monitoring the situation overnight.
"We received numerous reports of people saying they would protest and cause disturbances in Honiara. In our assessment that threat we still treat it as it still stands," Ian Vaevaso said.
He said he was impressed and grateful for the support his officers received from members of the public and credited that collaboration for the successful and peaceful conduct of the election today.