Kieren Keke
Encyclopedia
Kieren Aedogan Ankwong Keke (b. 27 June 1971 in Yaren
) is a Nauru
an politician and medical doctor. He is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has previously been speaker of the Nauruan Parliament.
In 2004 he was not allowed to take his parliamentary seat. The speaker of Parliament, Russell Kun
claimed that Keke, having Australian nationality as well as Nauruan, could not sit in Parliament. Keke was also arrested along with Baron Waqa
, David Adeang
and Fabian Ribauw
in April 2004 and charged with sedition
after a protest at Nauru's airport, but the charges were soon dropped. The charges were dropped following a resolution of Parliament moved by Keke and others charged that the charges be dropped. The DPP was not consulted by the Parliament and the motion was in contravention of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Keke was reelected to Parliament in October 2004, and retained his post as health minister.
Keke resigned from the government, along with Frederick Pitcher
and Roland Kun
, in late 2007 over allegations of misconduct on the part of Adeang and Scotty's unwillingness to act against Adeang. He led the opposition to Scotty in a no-confidence motion on 13 November 2007; although a majority of those voting supported the motion (eight in favor, seven opposed), it fell short of the necessary nine votes.
(a cousin of Kieren Keke) was elected President, Keke was named Minister of Foreign Affairs, Telecommunications, and Transport.
Keke had previously been regarded as a reformist, both through his participation in the Administration of Ludwig Scotty
, and because of the reformist discourse of the Nauru First
Party, of which Keke is a prominent member. The outgoing Scotty Administration, which had won a landslide election victory only weeks before Keke and others resigned and participated in successive votes of no confidence, enjoyed wide popular support, and was broadly seen in the years 2004-2007 as offering a stable contrast to a previous period of very frequent use of the vote of no confidence, when governments would fall over issues which sometimes reflected relations between personalities rather than the exigencies of the wider national interest. Others would argue that allegations against former minister David Adeang
, around which the November and December 2007 no convidence votes against President Ludwig Scotty
were centred, consitituted an issue important enough to justify the use of such a Parliamentary device, with its far-reaching consequences.
in Santiago, Chile
, owing to Nauru
's interest in whaling issues as a Pacific maritime nation and in the related issue of tuna
fishing stocks, given the country's tuna
fishing activities. The change of stance on whaling adopted by the government of Australia
was likely to cause resonances for Keke's Department.
In February 2008 Keke announced that the Nauruan Government was studying the possibility of developing service and maintenance facilities for fishing vessels from countries in the region.
In March 2008, the Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru
, David Adeang
, attempted to have Keke expelled from Parliament, by summoning a Parliamentary session, allegedly without informing members of the government, which resulted in the passing of a law forbidding Members of Parliament to hold dual citizenship. President Stephen argued that the law was unconstitutional; Adeang said it was not. On 28 March, Adeang ordered Keke and another minister, Frederick Pitcher
, to vacate their seats in Parliament, since they both hold dual Nauruan and Australian citizenship. The two ministers refused to do so, and Adeang suspended the sitting.
In April 2008 Keke was reelected to the Parliament of Nauru
and was retained as a leading member of the Administration of President Marcus Stephen
. He was again reelected in 2010
.
Keke was replaced as Foreign Minister by Matthew Batsiua on November 10, 2011.
Yaren
Yaren, in earlier times Makwa/Moqua, is a district and constituency of the Pacific nation of Nauru. It is the de facto capital of Nauru.Yaren is located in the south of the island . Its area is 1.5 km², and its population was 1,100 in 2003...
) is a Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
an politician and medical doctor. He is currently the Minister of Foreign Affairs and has previously been speaker of the Nauruan Parliament.
Background
He is currently a leading figure of the Naoero Amo party and is one of the few medical professionals on the island. (Others are Dr. Mark Kun, Dr. Ludwig Keke—Kieren's father, a dentist, Dr. Godfrey Waidabu, and Dr. Kiki Thoma.)In 2004 he was not allowed to take his parliamentary seat. The speaker of Parliament, Russell Kun
Russell Kun
Russell Effaney Kun is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru and former powerlifter.-Background:In the May 2003 elections Kun stood for the Parliament of Nauru, and was duly was elected to represent the Ubenide constituency....
claimed that Keke, having Australian nationality as well as Nauruan, could not sit in Parliament. Keke was also arrested along with Baron Waqa
Baron Waqa
Baron Divavesi Waqa is a Nauruan politician.-Policial role:He was elected in the May 2003 elections to the Parliament of Nauru, representing the constituency of Boe. Under president Ludwig Scotty he served as Minister of the Interior and of Education; he had, however, to leave the post upon...
, David Adeang
David Adeang
David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, and a former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and a former Foreign Minister of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo , currently the only successful political party on the island.-Background and Early career:David Adeang's father is Kennan...
and Fabian Ribauw
Fabian Ribauw
Fabian Dominic Ribauw is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru.-Background and political role:Ribauw studied in Australia and earned a BA in Economics from La Trobe University, Melbourne....
in April 2004 and charged with sedition
Sedition
In law, sedition is overt conduct, such as speech and organization, that is deemed by the legal authority to tend toward insurrection against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent to lawful authority. Sedition may include any...
after a protest at Nauru's airport, but the charges were soon dropped. The charges were dropped following a resolution of Parliament moved by Keke and others charged that the charges be dropped. The DPP was not consulted by the Parliament and the motion was in contravention of the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Keke was reelected to Parliament in October 2004, and retained his post as health minister.
Keke resigned from the government, along with Frederick Pitcher
Frederick Pitcher
Frederick William "Freddie" Pitcher is a Nauruan political figure. In December 2007, Pitcher was appointed Finance Minister of Nauru, to serve in the Administration of President Marcus Stephen....
and Roland Kun
Roland Kun
Roland Tullen Kun is a political figure from the Pacific nation of Nauru.-Political roles:Kun was elected in 2004 to serve as a Member of the Parliament of Nauru and has also served as Minister of Justice...
, in late 2007 over allegations of misconduct on the part of Adeang and Scotty's unwillingness to act against Adeang. He led the opposition to Scotty in a no-confidence motion on 13 November 2007; although a majority of those voting supported the motion (eight in favor, seven opposed), it fell short of the necessary nine votes.
2007
After Scotty was ousted in another vote on 19 December and Marcus StephenMarcus Stephen
Marcus Stephen was President of the Republic of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. In addition to the presidency, he held the offices of Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, Minister for Police, Prisons, & Emergency Services, and Minister for Public...
(a cousin of Kieren Keke) was elected President, Keke was named Minister of Foreign Affairs, Telecommunications, and Transport.
Keke had previously been regarded as a reformist, both through his participation in the Administration of Ludwig Scotty
Ludwig Scotty
Ludwig Derangadage Scotty is a two-time former President of the Republic of Nauru. He served as President from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003, then from 22 June 2004 to his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007....
, and because of the reformist discourse of the Nauru First
Nauru First
Nauru First is the only formal political party in the Republic of Nauru.-Philosophy and leading members:Its positions tend to be liberal, pro-government transparency, and Christian democratic...
Party, of which Keke is a prominent member. The outgoing Scotty Administration, which had won a landslide election victory only weeks before Keke and others resigned and participated in successive votes of no confidence, enjoyed wide popular support, and was broadly seen in the years 2004-2007 as offering a stable contrast to a previous period of very frequent use of the vote of no confidence, when governments would fall over issues which sometimes reflected relations between personalities rather than the exigencies of the wider national interest. Others would argue that allegations against former minister David Adeang
David Adeang
David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, and a former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and a former Foreign Minister of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo , currently the only successful political party on the island.-Background and Early career:David Adeang's father is Kennan...
, around which the November and December 2007 no convidence votes against President Ludwig Scotty
Ludwig Scotty
Ludwig Derangadage Scotty is a two-time former President of the Republic of Nauru. He served as President from 29 May 2003 to 8 August 2003, then from 22 June 2004 to his ousting in a vote of no confidence on 19 December 2007....
were centred, consitituted an issue important enough to justify the use of such a Parliamentary device, with its far-reaching consequences.
2008
In 2008, Keke's Foreign Affairs department was preparing for the June 2008 meeting of the International Whaling CommissionInternational Whaling Commission
The International Whaling Commission is an international body set up by the terms of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling , which was signed in Washington, D.C...
in Santiago, Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, owing to Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
's interest in whaling issues as a Pacific maritime nation and in the related issue of tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
fishing stocks, given the country's tuna
Tuna
Tuna is a salt water fish from the family Scombridae, mostly in the genus Thunnus. Tuna are fast swimmers, and some species are capable of speeds of . Unlike most fish, which have white flesh, the muscle tissue of tuna ranges from pink to dark red. The red coloration derives from myoglobin, an...
fishing activities. The change of stance on whaling adopted by the government of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
was likely to cause resonances for Keke's Department.
In February 2008 Keke announced that the Nauruan Government was studying the possibility of developing service and maintenance facilities for fishing vessels from countries in the region.
In March 2008, the Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru
Parliament of Nauru
The Parliament of Nauru has 18 members, elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies. The President of Nauru is elected by the members of the Parliament.The members of the Parliament of Nauru are elected by a positional voting system....
, David Adeang
David Adeang
David Waiau Adeang is a Nauruan politician, and a former Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru, and a former Foreign Minister of Nauru. He is a founding member of the Naoero Amo , currently the only successful political party on the island.-Background and Early career:David Adeang's father is Kennan...
, attempted to have Keke expelled from Parliament, by summoning a Parliamentary session, allegedly without informing members of the government, which resulted in the passing of a law forbidding Members of Parliament to hold dual citizenship. President Stephen argued that the law was unconstitutional; Adeang said it was not. On 28 March, Adeang ordered Keke and another minister, Frederick Pitcher
Frederick Pitcher
Frederick William "Freddie" Pitcher is a Nauruan political figure. In December 2007, Pitcher was appointed Finance Minister of Nauru, to serve in the Administration of President Marcus Stephen....
, to vacate their seats in Parliament, since they both hold dual Nauruan and Australian citizenship. The two ministers refused to do so, and Adeang suspended the sitting.
In April 2008 Keke was reelected to the Parliament of Nauru
Parliament of Nauru
The Parliament of Nauru has 18 members, elected for a three year term in multi-seat constituencies. The President of Nauru is elected by the members of the Parliament.The members of the Parliament of Nauru are elected by a positional voting system....
and was retained as a leading member of the Administration of President Marcus Stephen
Marcus Stephen
Marcus Stephen was President of the Republic of Nauru from December 2007 to November 2011. In addition to the presidency, he held the offices of Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for the Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust, Minister for Police, Prisons, & Emergency Services, and Minister for Public...
. He was again reelected in 2010
Nauruan parliamentary election, June 2010
Early parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on 2010 after the previous parliamentary election in April 2010 had resulted in a deadlock between government and opposition, tied at nine seats each...
.
Keke was replaced as Foreign Minister by Matthew Batsiua on November 10, 2011.
See also
- Nauruan parliamentary election, 2008Nauruan parliamentary election, 2008Parliamentary elections were held in Nauru on April 26, 2008, following the dissolving of Parliament by President Marcus Stephen on April 18. The decision came after what Stephen referred to as "months of political deadlock"...
- Political families of Nauru
- Politics of NauruPolitics of NauruPolitics of Nauru takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Nauru is the head of government of the executive branch. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the parliament...