The Mata-ni-Tikina of Namara, Sekaia Mua, is calling for the Great Council of Chiefs to be formally recognised under the proposed constitutional changes, provincial representation in the Senate and the removal of the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.
Mua raised these issues while making his submission to the Joint Parliamentary Select Committee on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 at Vunimono Hall in Nausori.
He says the Great Council of Chiefs plays an important role in protecting iTaukei culture, traditions and the interests of indigenous communities.
Mua believes the removal of the Council in the past weakened the traditional authority and identity of indigenous Fijians, and says its role should be strengthened under the proposed constitutional changes.
He also supports provincial representation in the Senate, saying this would help maintain the traditional chiefly system and ensure provincial voices are represented.
On FICAC, Mua called for the Commission to be removed, arguing that corruption investigations should instead be handled by the Fiji Police Force.
He questioned FICAC's effectiveness and raised concerns about how corruption cases are handled.
Mua also urged the Committee not to rush the proposed referendum, saying people in villages and rural communities must be given enough time to understand the proposed constitutional changes before making a decision.
He says the Government must ensure the concerns of indigenous Fijians are heard and their interests protected when decisions are made about the country's future.
Meanwhile, Mua also highlighted the serious water shortage affecting people in Namara, Tailevu, saying some families have been forced to use a water source previously declared unsafe by the Ministry of Health.
He says villagers have no alternative water supply, while dry conditions continue to affect their access to clean drinking water.
Mua says the Water Authority of Fiji delivered water on one occasion, but no further supplies have been received.
He says residents have been requesting a proper water supply for years and are still waiting for a lasting solution.
Mua, who has served as Mata-ni-Tikina for four years, says villagers continue to ask him when assistance will arrive.
He is calling on the Government and the Water Authority of Fiji to urgently address the shortage, saying rural communities should not be forgotten.
