Mosese Bulitavu

Mosese Drecala Bulitavu is a Fijian politician and Member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is a member of the FijiFirst party.

Bulitavu in 2016

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]

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. 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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