Lord Maʻafu

'Siosaia Lausiʻi, Lord Maʻafu Tukuiʻaulahi, also known as Lord Maʻafu (of Vaini and Tokomololo) (1 July 1955 – 12 December 2021), was a Tongan politician, military officer, and member of the Tongan nobility.

Biography Lausiʻi was born in Tonga on 1 July 1955. He was the son of the Lord Ma’afu Tukui’aulahi, Tevita ‘Unga Tangitau, and Hon. Peti Ma’afu (nee Green). He married a niece of the king, Princess Lavinia Mata-‘o-Tāone, and they had two children: Hon. Tevita ʻUnga and Hon. Lavinia Fangaʻaka.

Upon the death of his father, Lausiʻi was installed as Ma’afu, Lord of Vaini and Tokomololo. In July 2009, he was appointed Minister for the Environment and Climate Change in Prime Minister Feleti Sevele's Cabinet.

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

Following the 2014 election, Maʻafu was reappointed Minister of Lands, becoming the only noble representative in the cabinet of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva. In February 2017 he was ostracised by Tonga's nobles for his participation in Cabinet. In September 2017 he was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. He returned to Cabinet following the DPFI's landslide 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.

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. After Deputy Prime Minister Sione Vuna Fa'otusia resigned from the cabinet in December 2020, Maʻafu was appointed as the new Deputy Prime Minister.

Maʻafu traveled to New Zealand for medical treatment in 2021. He died in Auckland on 12 December 2021. He was succeeded as Maʻafu by his son, Tevita ‘Unga Tangitau.

Honours National honours

Foreign honours