Bainimarama Can't Contest 2026 Election, Says Rabuka

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has said that former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will not be eligible to contest the 2026 general elections due to his criminal conviction.

Speaking to the media, Rabuka emphasized that the law is clear: individuals convicted and sentenced to more than 12 months in prison are disqualified from running for public office for eight years after the completion of their sentence.

“Popularity is not a criterion for eligibility,” Rabuka said in response to remarks by former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who had earlier hinted that Bainimarama might still contest. Sayed-Khaiyum had claimed there was growing public support for Bainimarama and suggested he might be eligible if certain legal routes were pursued.

Earlier, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum told RNZ Pacific that a victory in the Court of Appeal would allow the former Prime Minister to contest the 2026 general election.

“Many Fijian people want him back,” said Sayed-Khaiyum.

“There is a groundswell of support. Whenever we walk down the street, people reach out and say the country needs him.”

But Rabuka dismissed the speculation, noting that the law takes precedence over political sentiment.

He added that Bainimarama's early release from prison in late 2024 does not affect the legal consequences of his conviction.