One Nation President Roko Tupou Draunidalo has called on the Fijian government to halt the third reading of the Constitution Amendment Bill 2026.
During her submissions to the Special Committee on the Bill, she urged officials to redirect taxpayer resources toward addressing the national water crisis and the ongoing drought caused by El Niño, according to Fijivillage.
Draunidalo argued that constitutional amendments should be deferred until the term of the next elected government. She said that only approximately one percent of the population has submitted feedback to the committee, which she interpreted as evidence that these changes are not a priority for most citizens.
Regarding the proposed extension of immunity provisions, Draunidalo said that the current government does not require additional protections, as it was elected through a democratic process. She said that One Nation supports maintaining the existing immunity provisions established under the 2013 Constitution to preserve the political compromise that enabled Fiji’s return to democratic elections.
“Removing existing protections could undermine the political compromise that helped restore stability,” said Draunidalo in response to a question from committee member Parveen Bala.
Draunidalo also expressed concerns regarding the potential impact of the Bill on i-Taukei communities and minority groups. She argued that the proposed changes would not improve i-Taukei participation in the national economy, suggesting that such goals should be pursued through specific government policies rather than constitutional reform. She raised concerns regarding proposals involving the Bose Levu Vakaturaga and chiefs, noting that these could potentially disadvantage non-chiefly i-Taukei and minority communities.
In addition to her policy objections, Draunidalo highlighted over 100 reported errors and typographical mistakes within the Bill, urging the committee to address these issues if the amendment process continues.
