Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has expressed that he was unfairly labeled and faced numerous accusations, particularly regarding racial issues, during the lead-up to the 2022 General Election. Reflecting on the political journey of the Coalition Government over the past two years, Rabuka stated that he was demonized and described as a “snake.”
He emphasized that he is not affected by personal insults, recalling similar experiences of derogatory remarks during his previous tenure as Prime Minister from 1992 to 1999 alongside Jai Ram Reddy. He noted that both he and Professor Biman Prasad confronted similar negative political tactics in 2018 and 2022, which, while not personally damaging, created fear among voters, particularly within the Indo-Fijian community.
In a bid to reassess his image, Rabuka introduced himself and shared a personal detail about his favorite dish, dhal and rice. He asserted that Prasad would not have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding for forming a post-election coalition if there was no mutual trust between them and the National Federation Party (NFP).
Rabuka aims to dispel the fear and skepticism regarding his commitment as a national leader, especially towards the Indo-Fijian community. He urged trust as they work together to rebuild Fiji’s future through the coalition government. He expressed confidence that by the next election, the political landscape will significantly differ from past experiences.