Coalition for National Unity & Transformation (CNUT)28 MP’s secured ‘Manele PM candidate’
BY CAROL-ANNE SULEGA
THE Cowboys Bar & Grill grouping has come up with a coalition name called Coalition for National Unity & Transformation (CNUT) with Member of Parliament (MP) elect for Hograno-Katova-Kia-Havulei (HKK) Jeremiah Manele as their candidate ahead of the Prime Minister’s election on Thursday.
Manele was endorsed by the newly formed coalition’s executive to be the political grouping’s Prime Minister candidate. This was exclusively confirmed this to Island Sun prior to the scheduled press conference last night.
According to caretaker Prime Minister and MP elect for East Choiseul, Manasseh Sogavare in a press conference last night, the initial coalition had 19 MPs but has now increased to 28 MPs. This is made up of 12 Ownership, Unity & Reform (OUR) MPs, 6 People First Party and 1 Kadere Party.
Island Sun understands that the majority of Independent MPs have joined the coalition based on mutual consensus as witnessed by the media last night.
According to Sogavare, he said, “It is very encouraging to see that despite being separate political parties, we share the same policy goals and vision for the advancement of our beloved Solomon Islands.
“A vision focused on enhanced engagement with our development partners with the purposive drive on infrastructure development. It is on these shared goals and vision that we build and nurture our solidarity.
Sogavare further added that OUR Party has over the years grown in strength and maturity and recognizes the need to have succession plans whilst grooming future leaders for the country.
“We also recognize the need to allow for aspiring leaders to be given the opportunity to lead our people given the continuous ever changing political landscape,” Sogavare added.
Caretaker Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Manasseh Maelanga, People First Party Wing Leader Frederick Kologeto and Kadere Party Wing Leader Jamie Vokia nominated Hon. Jeremiah Manele in accordance with schedule 2 of the Constitution to be their candidate for the Prime Minister.
“It is with great honor and privilege that I now hand over to the OUR Party Parliamentary Wing Leader and the Coalition for National Unity and Transformation candidate for Prime Minister, Jeremiah Manele.” Sogavare affirmed.
