Mosese Bulitavu

{{Short description|Fijian politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}File:Mosese Bulitavu.jpg

Mosese Drecala Bulitavu is a Fijian politician and Member of the Parliament of Fiji. He is the current Minister for Environment & Climate Change.

In October 2011 Bulitavu was charged with sedition for graffiting billboards with anti-government slogans.{{cite web |url=http://pacific.scoop.co.nz/2011/10/fiji-five-remanded-on-sedition-charges/ |title=Fiji: Five Remanded On Sedition Charges |publisher=Pacific.Scoop |date=17 October 2011 |accessdate=26 August 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.fijileaks.com/home/graffiti-trial-update-defence-lawyer-wants-suva-court-to-vacate-hearing-date-of-his-client-the-sri-lankan-born-kiwi-citizen-jagath-karunaratne |title=Graffiti Trial Update: Defence lawyer wants Suva court to vacate hearing date of his client - the Sri Lankan born Kiwi citizen Jagath Karunaratne |publisher=Fijileaks |date=1 August 2013 |accessdate=26 August 2015}} In March 2018 Bulitavu was convicted,{{cite web |url=http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=439467 |title=Bulitavu, Karunaratne convicted |publisher=Fiji Times |date=27 March 2018 |accessdate=26 March 2018}} and subsequently sentenced to more than two years' jail.{{cite web |url=http://www.fijitimes.com/seditious-duo-jailed-for-two-years/ |title=Seditious duo jailed for two years |publisher=Fiji Times |date=30 April 2018 }} The conviction was overturned on appeal, and a retrial ordered in August 2018.{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/retrial-ordered-in-bulitavu-karunaratne-sedition-case/ |title=Retrial ordered in Bulitavu, Karunaratne sedition case |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Jessica Savike |date=24 August 2018 |accessdate=15 November 2018}} The prosecution was discontinued in 2019.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/04/04/mosese-bulitavu-jagath-karunaratne-are-free-at-last/ |title=Mosese Bulitavu, Jagath Karunaratne Are 'Free At Last' |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=4 April 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}}

Bulitavu ran in the 2014 elections as a SODELPA candidate, winning 6276 votes, making him the 4th highest-polling SODELPA candidate.{{cite web |url=http://fijisun.com.fj/2014/09/23/bulitavu-ready-for-action/ |title=Bulitavu Ready For Action |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=23 September 2014 |accessdate=26 August 2015}} He was re-elected in the 2018 election,{{cite web |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/2018-general-election-sodelpa-secures-21-seats/ |title=2018 General Election: SODELPA secures 21 seats |publisher=Fiji Times |author=Talebula Kate |date=18 November 2018 |accessdate=18 November 2018}} winning 5342 votes.{{Cite web |last=Vakasukawaqa |first=Arieta |date=2022-12-27 |title=Bulitavu hopeful of change in 6 months |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/bulitavu-hopeful-of-change-in-6-months/ |access-date=2023-01-07 |website=FijiTimes |language=en}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/07/05/sodelpa-mp-mosese-bulitavu-uses-stabbing-incident-to-make-racist-statement/ |title=SODELPA MP Mosese Bulitavu Uses Stabbing Incident to Make Racist Statement |author=Jyoti Pratibha |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=5 July 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}} Bulitavu was subsequently condemned by Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/pm-bainmarama-blasts-bulitavu-says-fijians-will-not-tolerate-division/ |title=PM Bainimarama blasts Bulitavu, says Fijians will not tolerate division |publisher=FBC News |date=5 July 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}} and by other members of the SODELPA party,{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/07/08/leading-sodelpa-members-attack-bulitavu/ |title=Leading SODELPA Members Attack Bulitavu |author=Nemani Delaibatiki |publisher=Fiji Sun |date=8 July 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}} and was subsequently questioned by police over allegations of hate speech.{{cite web |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/394231/fiji-police-question-opposition-mp |title=Fiji police question opposition MP |publisher=RNZ |date=12 July 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2019/07/13/police-question-sodelpa-mp-bulitavu/ |title=Police Question SODELPA MP Bulitavu |publisher=Fiji Sun |author=Avinesh Gopal |date=13 July 2019 |accessdate=25 June 2020}}

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).{{Cite web |last=Narayan |first=Vijay |date=2021-08-06 |title=SODELPA advises the Speaker that Mosese Bulitavu's seat in Parliament be deemed vacant while moves underway to expel him from the party |url=https://www.fijivillage.com/news/SODELPA-advises-the-Speaker-that-Mosese-Bulitavus-seat-in-Parliament-be-deemed-vacant-while-moves-underway-to-expel-him-from-the-party-x48f5r/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=www.fijivillage.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Ashna |date=2021-09-01 |title=SODELPA Claims Against Its MP Bulitavu To Be Heard On September 6 |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2021/09/01/sodelpa-claims-against-its-mp-bulitavu-to-be-heard-on-september-6/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=fijisun.com.fj |language=en-US}} The Court of Disputed Returns dismissed the party's case.{{Cite web |last=Turagaiviu |first=Elenoa |date=10 September 2021 |title=Court strikes out case against Bulitavu |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/court/court-strikes-out-case-against-bulitavu/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation}}

In June 2022, Bulitavu announced that he might leave SODELPA for the 2022 general election.{{Cite web |last=Waqairadovu |first=Apenisa |date=2022-06-08 |title=Bulitavu confirms leaving SODELPA, looks for new party |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/politics/bulitavu-confirms-leaving-sodelpa-looks-for-new-party/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Vakasukawaqa |first=Arieta |date=2022-10-22 |title=Bulitavu praises party – 'FijiFirst government has done more for iTaukei people' |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/bulitavu-praises-party-fijifirst-government-has-done-more-for-itaukei-people/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=FijiTimes |language=en}} On 30 October, Bulitavu was named as part of the FijiFirst candidate list.{{Cite web |last=Kumar |first=Kreetika |date=October 30, 2022 |title=Bulitavu, Damodar join FijiFirst as Bolaira also named |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/bulitavu-damodar-join-fijifirst-as-bolaira-also-named/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=Fiji Broadcasting Corporation}} He won reelection with 631 votes, ranking 25th out of FijiFirst's 26 elected seats.{{Cite news |last=Singh |first=Indira |date=18 December 2022 |title=Top 55 confirmed |work=FBC |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |url-status=live |access-date=18 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221218063858/https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/fijian-elections/top-55-confirmed/ |archive-date=18 December 2022}} FijiFirst went into opposition after the opposition parties, including SODELPA, formed a coalition government.{{Cite web |last=Vakasukawaqa |first=Arieta |date=2022-12-24 |title=2022 General Election: Bulitavu glad to be back in Opposition |url=https://www.fijitimes.com/2022-general-election-bulitavu-glad-to-be-back-in-opposition/ |access-date=2023-01-03 |website=FijiTimes |language=en}} Following the collapse and deregistration of FijiFirst he remained in parliament as an independent, but said that he would support the government of Sitiveni Rabuka.{{cite web |url=https://www.fbcnews.com.fj/news/koroilavesau-and-naupoto-declare-interests/ |title=Koroilavesau and Naupoto declare interests |publisher=FBC News |author=Kreetika Kumar |date=4 July 2024 |access-date=10 January 2025}} On 10 January 2025, he was sworn as Minister of Environment & Climate Change under Rabuka's government.{{cite web |url=https://fijisun.com.fj/2025/01/10/its-official-cabinet-reshuffle-7-of-g9-mps-as-ministers-asssitant-ministers/ |title=It’s Official: Cabinet Reshuffle, 7 of G9 MPs As Ministers & Asssitant Ministers |publisher=Fiji Sun |author= Jone Salusalu |date=10 January 2025 |access-date=10 January 2025}}