Anderson Agiru

Anderson Agiru MP
Member of the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea
In office 1997–2002
Preceded by	Dick Mune
Succeeded by	Hami Yawari
Constituency	Southern Highlands Provincial
In office 2007–2012
Preceded by	Hami Yawari
Succeeded by	William Powi
Constituency	Southern Highlands Provincial
In office 2012–2016
Preceded by	New position
Succeeded by	Francis Potape
Constituency	Hela Provincial
Personal details
Nationality	Papua New Guinean
Political party	People's United Assembly (2012-2016)
Other political affiliations	United Resources Party (1997-2011)
Spouse(s)	Cathy Kakaraya
Occupation	Politician

Anderson Pawa Agiru (died 28 April 2016) was a Papua New Guinean politician. He was the Governor of Southern Highlands Province from 1997 to 2002 and 2007 to 2012 and the Governor of Hela Province from its creation in 2012 until his death. His position had been disputed for the final five months of his life, with a December 2015 attempt to oust him by members of the Hela assembly - posthumously decided in Agiru's favour - still being determined in the National Court at the time of his death.

Agiru was born in Hogombe village. He was educated at Dauli Primary School and Tari High School, and received a Master of Business Administration from the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Prior to his election, he was a student activist and then first secretary to MP and government minister Parry Zeipi. Agiru was elected as Governor of Southern Highlands Province at the 1997 election, succeeding Dick Mune, and formed the United Resources Party, with himself as leader. In his first term, he criticised Ausaid, claiming that they only carried out relief efforts in "provinces where major Australian businesses are" and stated that multinational oil corporation BP had "[treated] my people with contempt" for selling its shares in local oil projects and "would not be allowed back onto the province". In July 1999, Agiru remained loyal to Bill Skate during the crisis that resulted in Skate's ouster as Prime Minister by Mekere Morauta; however, in December he and four other governors crossed over to support the Morauta government.

In June 1999, Agiru faced serious tribal unrest and calls for a state of emergency after Mune, who he had defeated in 1997, was killed in a car accident on the way to attend a court hearing involving a challenge to validity of Agiru's election. Agiru was one of the signatories to a peace agreement regarding conflict between the Nipa and Tari people in September 1999. It was reported in August 2000 that tribal fighting in the Southern Highlands had claimed more than 100 lives in the preceding year. On 13 October 2000, both Agiru and the provincial government were suspended by Morauta, remaining in office but stripped of their powers, with administrators called in to run the government.

...
Wikipedia