Mosese Bulitavu

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Bulitavu in 2016 Mosese Bulitavu.jpg
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]

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References

  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. 1 2 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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