Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi

Siosaʻia Lausiʻi, Lord Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi,[1] also known as Lord Maʻafu (of Vaini) (c. 1955 – 12 December 2021),[2] was a Tongan politician, military officer, and member of the Tongan nobility.

Maʻafu
Siosaʻia Lausiʻi
Minister for Lands, Survey, Natural Resources
In office
4 January 2011 – 12 December 2021
Prime MinisterLord Tuʻivakanō, ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa
Preceded byLord Tuita
Minister for the Environment and Climate Change
In office
July 2009 – 30 December 2014
Prime MinisterFeleti Sevele, Lord Tuʻivakanō
Succeeded bySiaosi Sovaleni
Member of Parliament
for Tongatapu
In office
23 April 2008 – 12 December 2021
Personal details
Bornc. 1955
Tonga
Died (aged 66)
Auckland, New Zealand
Political partynone (Nobles' Representative)
Spouse(s)Princess Lavinia Mataʻotahone Tukuʻaho
ChildrenHon. Tevita ʻUnga Lausiʻi
Hon. Lavinia Fangaʻaka Lausiʻi
Parent(s)Hon. Tevita ʻUngamotangitau Lausiʻi
Hon. Peti Lausiʻi

Biography

Lausiʻi enrolled in the Tonga Defence Services on 3 March 1975, and was commissioned "the same year to become Platoon Commander of the Tonga Royal Guards". He served as a commissioned officer, rising to the rank of Commanding Officer of Land Force in 2000, before serving as Private Secretary to King Taufaʻahau Tupou IV from 2001 to 2006.[3][4] He married a niece of the king, Princess Lavinia-Mata-‘o Taone, and they had two children.[5]

Upon the death of his father, Lausiʻi was installed with a noble title[5] as the 10th Maʻafu on 30 October 1997. The full title Maʻafu Tukuʻiʻaulahi means "Maʻafu put in the strong current", taken from the experience of an ancestor around 1820.

Maʻafu entered politics for the general election in April 2008. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as a Nobles' Representative for Tongatapu, receiving ten votes from fellow electors of the nobility.[6] In July 2009, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Climate Change in Prime Minister Feleti Sevele's Cabinet.[4][7]

Maʻafu retained his seat in the November 2010 general election, again receiving ten votes.[8] He was then appointed Minister for Lands, Survey, Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change in Prime Minister Lord Tuʻivakanō's Cabinet;[9] legislation enacted in 2010 prescribed that only a Nobles' Representative could be appointed Minister for Lands.[10]

Following the 2014 election, Maʻafu was reappointed Minister of Lands, becoming the only noble representative in the cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.[11] In February 2017 he was ostracised by Tonga's nobles for his participation in Cabinet.[12] In September 2017 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister.[13] He returned to Cabinet following the DPFI's landslide[14] in the 2017 election, but resigned in March 2018 after a dispute with Minister of Police Mateni Tapueluelu. He rejoined Cabinet in May with the same portfolios.[15]

In October 2019 Maʻafu was appointed Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Minister for His Majesty’s Armed Forces in the cabinet of Pohiva Tuʻiʻonetoa.[16] After Deputy Prime Minister Sione Vuna Fa'otusia resigned from the cabinet in December 2020, Maʻafu was appointed as the new Deputy Prime Minister.[17]

Maʻafu traveled to New Zealand for medical treatment in 2021.[5] He was still overseas at the time of the 2021 elections, and was not returned to his seat.[18] He died in Auckland on 12 December 2021.[1][2][19]

Honours
National honours[3]
  • King Taufaʻahau Silver Jubilee Medal (4 July 1992)
  • Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
  • General Service Medal (Bougainville)
Foreign honours[3]

References
  1. "Deputy PM Lord Ma'afu dies in Auckland". Matangi Tonga. 13 December 2021. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  2. "Tonga's deputy PM Lord Ma'afu dies in Auckland Hospital". RNZ. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  3. "Lord Ma'afu - Tonga's Lands & Environment Minister". Government of Tonga. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 31 October 2018.
  4. "Lord Ma'afu Tukui'aulahi". Parliament of Tonga. Archived from the original on 9 October 2011.
  5. "Deputy PM Lord Ma'afu dies in Auckland". Matangitonga. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  6. "TUIHAANGANA LOSES SEAT IN TONGA NOBLES RACE". Pacific Islands Report. 24 April 2008. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  7. "Only three nobles chosen in 'able' new Tongan cabinet" Archived 9 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine, Pacific Media Centre, 3 January 2011
  8. "Vaea and Tu'ilakepa to enter House in Nobles seats", Matangi Tonga, 25 November 2010
  9. "First meeting of Tonga's new Cabinet", Matangi Tonga, 5 January 2011
  10. "Crown Prince not elected as Noble Representative" Archived 16 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Taimi Media Network, 1 December 2010
  11. "Tonga leader names one noble in Cabinet". RNZ. 31 December 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  12. "Tonga's Pohiva survives no confidence vote". RNZ. 27 February 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. "Lord Ma'afu Named Tonga Acting Prime Minister". Pacific Islands Report. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  14. "Landslide victory for Democrats in Tongan election". New Zealand Herald. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  15. "Tonga's Lord Ma'afu returns to Cabinet". RNZ. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2020.
  16. ""Prime Minister Announces New Cabinet Ministers"". Government of Tonga. 10 October 2019. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  17. Latu, Kalino (17 December 2020). "Analysis: Does appointment of Lord Ma'afu mean PM has lost trust in his independent Cabinet Ministers?". Kaniva Tonga.
  18. Folau, Linny (18 November 2021). "Three new nobles elected to nine Nobles seats". Matangitonga. Archived from the original on 19 November 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  19. Torika Tokalau (13 December 2021). "Tonga's deputy prime minister Lord Ma'afu dies in Auckland". Stuff. Retrieved 13 December 2021. He was 66 in 2021
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