Fiji's first coup leader and former prime minister Sitiveni Rabuka says it's time to vote Frank Bainimarama's FijiFirst Party out of government.
While announcing the first batch of 12 provisional candidates for the People's Alliance on Monday night, Rabuka confirmed his new political party will contest all 55 parliamentary seats during the 2022 Fijian elections.
Rabuka said his party knows what the Fijian voters "desperately wish for."
"They want a new government to give Fiji a fresh start after 16 years of incompetent rule, fear, thuggery, and threat...and gathered today in this early part of the election period we know this - the moment is here. It is time for change," he said.
Rabuka said reforming the police force will be among his top priorities if his Peoples Alliance Party wins the 2022 general elections.
Sitiveni Rabuka Photo: RNZ / Koroi Hawkins
Rabuka, who's established himself as the major political rival of incumbent leader Frank Bainimarama, said he's confident that his political party will get the mandate of the people to form the next government.
He said it's the People's Alliance "calling to work with all Fijians to take Fiji from the lowest point in its history…into the light of freedom, peace, happiness and unity" by focusing on "jobs, growth and prosperity."
"We will focus especially on helping people out of poverty, restoring investor confidence, efficiently managing the debt that's weighing the nations down, cutting wasteful expenditures, getting water back into the taps, ending power cuts, restoring health and medical services, reforming the police, ensuring our children feel safe and secure, reviving the seriously damaged sugar industry, and making sure the democratic interest of the people comes before the interest of the government. The people must come first," Rabuka said.
Meanwhile, more than 664,000 Fijians have registered to cast their votes.