Pacific / Solomon Islands

Solomons coalition nominates Sogavare for prime minister

18:02 pm on 17 April 2019

Former Solomon Islands prime minister Manasseh Sogavare has been nominated to contest next week's prime ministerial election.

The former prime minister Manasseh Sogavare. Photo: Supplied

The vote is conducted by secret ballot and in order to win, a candidate must secure the support of at least 26 of the 50 MPs in parliament.

Nominations for the top job close tomorrow with the election to be held on Wednesday 24 April.

Mr Sogavare, who has been prime minister three times before, was nominated by the Democratic Coalition for Advancement, one of two political groupings vying to form government.

The other group, the Grand Coalition, has put forward first time MP Peter Kenilorea Junior as its candidate for prime minister.

Mr Kenilorea, who is the son of the Solomon Islands first prime minister, was the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before the recent general election.

Prior to that, he spent almost two decades working at the UN Secretariat in New York.

More candidates could be put forward as the Solomon Islands constitution allows for any MP to contest the prime minister's post, as long as they are nominated by four of their colleagues.

Meanwhile, police are reminding the public there will be a liquor ban in the capital, Honiara, both on the day of the election and the day after.

On election day, movement to and from parliament will be restricted, and during the week, there will be increased police patrols throughout the city.

The police said they would also not permit any public processions or gatherings in the capital in the lead up to the vote.