Prime Minister of Solomon Islands

Prime Minister of Solomon Islands
Praem Minista blo Solomon Aelan (Pijin)
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
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Solomon Islands
Formation	7 July 1978
First holder	Peter Kenilorea
Salary	SI$143,000 / US$17,439 annually [1]

The prime minister of Solomon Islands is Solomon Islands' head of government, as elected by the National Parliament. Matthew Wale has served as the Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands since May 2026.

Solomon Islands is a Commonwealth realm; the functions of the head of state are performed on behalf of the monarch of Solomon Islands by the governor-general of Solomon Islands, who is nominated by Parliament.

The prime minister's official residence is Red House in Honiara.

Constitutional basis

Section 33 of the constitution of Solomon Islands provides for the prime minister to be elected by the members of the national parliament. The other government ministers are appointed by the governor-general on the advice of the prime minister. ^[2]

The prime minister may be removed from office by the governor-general following a no-confidence motion passed by an absolute majority of the national parliament. The office is also vacated if the prime minister resigns, ceases to be a member of parliament, or is elected as speaker or deputy speaker. In the event of a vacancy, the governor-general, in consultation with cabinet, appoints one of the existing government ministers to act as prime minister until the national parliament can meet to fill the vacancy. ^[3]

Schedule 2 to the constitution outlines the process for election of the prime minister. All members of parliament are eligible for nomination, but must be nominated by at least four other members. The election is then held by secret ballot with the governor-general presiding. If a candidate fails to secure a majority of votes on the first ballot, an exhaustive ballot takes place with the candidate with the lowest number of votes eliminated on each ballot. ^[4]

List of officeholders

Political parties

   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)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party		Elected	Cabinet(s)	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Peter Kenilorea (1943–2016)	7 July 1978	31 August 1981	3 years, 55 days		United Party	–	Kenilorea I
								1980
2		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	31 August 1981	19 November 1984	3 years, 80 days		People's Alliance Party	—	Mamaloni I
(1)		Sir Peter Kenilorea (1943–2016)	19 November 1984	1 December 1986	2 years, 12 days		United Party	1984	Kenilorea II
3		Ezekiel Alebua (1947–2022)	1 December 1986	28 March 1989	2 years, 117 days		United Party	—	Alebua
(2)		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	28 March 1989	18 June 1993	4 years, 82 days		People's Alliance Party (GNUR)	1989	Mamaloni II
4		Sir Francis Billy Hilly (1948–2025)	18 June 1993	7 November 1994	1 year, 142 days		Independent (NCP)	1993	Hilly
(2)		Solomon Mamaloni (1943–2000)	7 November 1994	27 August 1997	2 years, 293 days		National Unity and Reconciliation	—	Mamaloni III
5		Bartholomew Ulufa'alu (1950–2007)	27 August 1997	30 June 2000	2 years, 308 days		Liberal Party (SIAC)	1997	Ulufa'alu
6		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	30 June 2000	17 December 2001	1 year, 170 days		People's Progressive Party	—	Sogavare I
7		Allan Kemakeza (born 1950)	17 December 2001	20 April 2006	4 years, 124 days		People's Progressive Party	2001	Kemakeza
8		Snyder Rini (1948–2025)	20 April 2006	4 May 2006	14 days		Association of Independent Members	2006	Rini
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	4 May 2006	20 December 2007	1 year, 230 days		Social Credit Party	—	Sogavare II
9		Derek Sikua (born 1959)	20 December 2007	25 August 2010	2 years, 248 days		Liberal Party	—	Sikua
10		Danny Philip (born 1953)	25 August 2010	16 November 2011	1 year, 83 days		Reform Democratic	2010	Philip
11		Gordon Darcy Lilo (born 1965)	16 November 2011	9 December 2014	3 years, 23 days		Party for Rural Advancement	—	Lilo
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	9 December 2014	15 November 2017	2 years, 341 days		Independent	2014	Sogavare III
12		Rick Houenipwela (born 1958)	15 November 2017	24 April 2019	1 year, 160 days		Democratic Alliance	—	Houenipwela
(6)		Manasseh Sogavare (born 1955)	24 April 2019	2 May 2024	5 years, 8 days		Ownership, Unity and Responsibility	2019	Sogavare IV
13		Jeremiah Manele (born 1968)	2 May 2024	15 May 2026	2 years, 13 days		Ownership, Unity and Responsibility	2024	Manele
14		Matthew Wale (born 1968)	15 May 2026	Incumbent	155 days		Democratic Party	—	Wale

Timeline

See also

• Deputy Prime Minister of Solomon Islands
• Governor-General of Solomon Islands
• Leader of the Opposition (Solomon Islands)
• Leader of the Independent Members
• High Commissioner for the Western Pacific
• Governing Council of the Solomon Islands

References

1. Government of the Solomon Islands. "Parliament Entitlements Regulations, 2008" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 12 August 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
2. "Section 33". Constitution of Solomon Islands . Retrieved 11 June 2024– via Constitute Project.
3. "Section 34". Constitution of Solomon Islands . Retrieved 11 June 2024– via Constitute Project.
4. "Schedule 2". Constitution of Solomon Islands . Retrieved 11 June 2024– via Constitute Project.