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Mosese Bulitavu

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Bulitavu in 2016

Mosese Drecala Bulitavu is a Fijian politician and Member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is a member of the FijiFirst party.

In October 2011 Bulitavu was charged with sedition for graffiting billboards with anti-government slogans.[1][2] In March 2018 Bulitavu was convicted,[3] and subsequently sentenced to more than two years' jail.[4] The conviction was overturned on appeal, and a retrial ordered in August 2018.[5] The prosecution was discontinued in 2019.[6]

Bulitavu ran in the 2014 elections as a SODELPA candidate, winning 6276 votes, making him the 4th highest-polling SODELPA candidate.[7] He was re-elected in the 2018 election,[8] winning 5342 votes.[9]

On 4 July 2019, Bulitavu made racist statements on his Facebook page that stabbing and killing was something the iTaukei community learned from the 'vulagi', those who were brought in from India.[10] Bulitavu was subsequently condemned by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama[11] and by other members of the SODELPA party,[12] and was subsequently questioned by police over allegations of hate speech.[13][14]

In August 2021, SODELPA sought to have Bulitavu's seat declared vacant for supporting the government budget and the iTaukei Land Trust Act (Bill No. 17).[15][16] The Court of Disputed Returns dismissed the party's case.[17]

In June 2022, Bulitavu announced that he might leave SODELPA for the 2022 general election.[18] SODELPA general secretary Lenaitasi Duru confirmed in October 2022 that Bulitavu was still a SODELPA member, and that he had unsuccessfully sought the party's nomination.[19] On 30 October, Bulitavu was named as part of the FijiFirst candidate list.[20] He won reelection with 631 votes,[9] ranking 25th out of FijiFirst's 26 elected seats.[21] FijiFirst went into opposition after the opposition parties, including SODELPA, formed a coalition government.[22]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Fiji: Five Remanded On Sedition Charges". Pacific.Scoop. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. ^ "Graffiti Trial Update: Defence lawyer wants Suva court to vacate hearing date of his client - the Sri Lankan born Kiwi citizen Jagath Karunaratne". Fijileaks. 1 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. ^ "Bulitavu, Karunaratne convicted". Fiji Times. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  4. ^ "Seditious duo jailed for two years". Fiji Times. 30 April 2018.
  5. ^ Jessica Savike (24 August 2018). "Retrial ordered in Bulitavu, Karunaratne sedition case". Fiji Times. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Mosese Bulitavu, Jagath Karunaratne Are 'Free At Last'". Fiji Sun. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Bulitavu Ready For Action". Fiji Sun. 23 September 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  8. ^ Talebula Kate (18 November 2018). "2018 General Election: SODELPA secures 21 seats". Fiji Times. Retrieved 18 November 2018.
  9. ^ a b Vakasukawaqa, Arieta (27 December 2022). "Bulitavu hopeful of change in 6 months". FijiTimes. Retrieved 7 January 2023.
  10. ^ Jyoti Pratibha (5 July 2019). "SODELPA MP Mosese Bulitavu Uses Stabbing Incident to Make Racist Statement". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  11. ^ "PM Bainimarama blasts Bulitavu, says Fijians will not tolerate division". FBC News. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  12. ^ Nemani Delaibatiki (8 July 2019). "Leading SODELPA Members Attack Bulitavu". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Fiji police question opposition MP". RNZ. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  14. ^ Avinesh Gopal (13 July 2019). "Police Question SODELPA MP Bulitavu". Fiji Sun. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
  15. ^ Narayan, Vijay (6 August 2021). "SODELPA advises the Speaker that Mosese Bulitavu's seat in Parliament be deemed vacant while moves underway to expel him from the party". www.fijivillage.com. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  16. ^ Kumar, Ashna (1 September 2021). "SODELPA Claims Against Its MP Bulitavu To Be Heard On September 6". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  17. ^ Turagaiviu, Elenoa (10 September 2021). "Court strikes out case against Bulitavu". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  18. ^ Waqairadovu, Apenisa (8 June 2022). "Bulitavu confirms leaving SODELPA, looks for new party". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  19. ^ Vakasukawaqa, Arieta (22 October 2022). "Bulitavu praises party – 'FijiFirst government has done more for iTaukei people'". FijiTimes. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  20. ^ Kumar, Kreetika (30 October 2022). "Bulitavu, Damodar join FijiFirst as Bolaira also named". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  21. ^ Singh, Indira (18 December 2022). "Top 55 confirmed". FBC. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  22. ^ Vakasukawaqa, Arieta (24 December 2022). "2022 General Election: Bulitavu glad to be back in Opposition". FijiTimes. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
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