Office of the President :: Republic of the Marshall Islands

The Presidency and Cabinet

The President of the Marshall Islands serves both as the Head of State and the Head of Government. Since gaining independence in 1979, the RMI Government has only been led by five Presidents.

The Late Amata Kabua, referred to as the founding father of the nation, was elected first President in 1979 until his death in 1996. Late President Kabua was instrumental in separating the RMI from the former Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, which was govern by the United States under the United Nations League of Nations.

Following Amata Kabua’s death, former Senator of Kwajalein Atoll Imata Kabua was elected as the second President during the January 1997 regular session of the Nitijela (Parliament). Former President Kabua’s administration ended in 1999 when the current administration won the majority of the seats in Parliament and elected then Speaker of the Nitijela Kessai H. Note as the third President of the Republic.

The first commoner to be elected to the Presidency, President Note has held his seat since being elected in the 1999 Nitijela session and sworn into office in January 2000. President Note’s administration has won two consecutive elections and will again run on the platform of Accountability, Transparency, Good Governance and Serviceability in the 2007 national elections.

Former President Kessai H. Note's administration ended in 2007 when the current administration won the majority seats in Parliament and elected former Speaker of Nitijela Litokwa Tomeing as the 4th president of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The current administration is a coalition of the United People's Party and the Aelon Kein Ad. President Tomeing's administration run on the platform of "Armij Ro Mokta Ilo Jimwe," translated as "People come first in a manner that is proper and just." After two unsucessful vote of no confidence, a third vote of no confidence was brought forth in the Nitijela(Parliament) on Oct. 21, 2009 which was voted 17 to 15 in favor of the vote of no confidence. On Oct. 26, 2009 Nitijela put forth two candidates for President: Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia and Former President Kessai H. Note. 17 to 15 the Nitijela voted Speaker Jurelang Zedkaia to be the 5th President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

The Cabinet

Executive power lies with the President, who is elected by the Nitijela, and the Presidential Cabinet. As soon as practicable after his election to that office, the President elect nominate to the Speaker for appointment as Ministers not less than 6 nor more than 10 other members of the Nitijela who have consented to the nomination. Upon receiving the nominations made by the President elect, the Speaker, by instrument signed by him, appoint to office, as members of the Cabinet, the President elect and the Ministers so nominated. If the President elect has not, within 7 days after the date of his election to that office, submitted to the Speaker his nomination of not less than 6 members of the Nitijela for appointment as Ministers, his election to that office has no effect, and the Nitijela proceed as soon as practicable again to elect a President.

The President, as soon as practicable after taking office, by writing signed by him, allocate among the members of the Cabinet (including himself if he so desires) the portfolios of Ministers of Finance, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Communications and Transportation, Minister of Resources and Development, Minister of Social Welfare, Minister of Public Works and such other portfolios as may be necessary or desirable for giving to a member of the Cabinet the primary responsibility for any Department or function of government. The President has the primary responsibility for any Department or function of government in respect of which no allocation of a portfolio is for the time being in force.

The President may, at any time when the total number of Ministers is less than 10, submit to Speaker, with the consent of the member, the nomination of a member of the Nitijela for appointment as a Minister. The Speaker, by instrument signed by him, appoint as a Minister any member nominated. The President may, at any time, by writing signed by him, allocate any portfolio in respect of which no allocation is in force, or may reallocate any portfolio. Whenever it appears to the President that any Minister will, by reason of illness or absence from the Marshall Islands or from the seat of government, be temporarily unable to discharge the responsibilities of any portfolio allocated to him, he may by writing signed by him, direct any other Minister to discharge the responsibilities of that portfolio, until the Minister to whom that portfolio has been allocated is again able to discharge those responsibilities.