Opposition Alleges Bribery and Political Manipulation by Government

Opposition Member of Parliament Jone Usamate has accused the Coalition Government of engaging in bribery and secret political deals to push its legislative agenda, particularly in relation to constitutional amendments.

In a media statement, Usamate criticized Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Manoa Kamikamica, stating that while Kamikamica has labeled the Opposition as weak, it is the Government that is manipulating parliamentary processes.

“The Prime Minister himself has let down Fijians through this Government that undermines the voices of citizens through sneaky and underhanded tricks,” Usamate claimed.

He pointed to text messages allegedly sent by Kamikamica, which he says were authorized by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, as evidence of attempts to coerce and manipulate Opposition MPs.

Usamate further accused the Government of offering inducements to MPs to secure support for lowering the threshold for constitutional amendments.

“Offering to lower the threshold for Constitutional amendments while attempting to bribe Members of Parliament is not leadership—it is desperation,” he said.

He alleged that two MPs have already accepted such inducements, suggesting that ministerial appointments could be used as political rewards for their compliance.

Usamate described these actions as an “insult” to democracy and urged the Government to respect transparency and integrity in governance.

“The Opposition remains steadfast in protecting the integrity of our Constitution and ensuring that any amendments are conducted through a transparent and inclusive process. We will not allow this Government to erode the foundations of our democracy for political gain.”