Sēmisi Sika

Sēmisi Kioa Lafu Sika (born 31 January 1968) is a Tongan politician, businessman, and former member of the Tongan Parliament from 2010 to 2021. He served as acting prime minister in September 2019, following the death of ʻAkilisi Pōhiva.

Career and activism Sika is from Haveluloto, and was educated at Brigham Young University–Hawaii, gaining a Bachelor of Science. Before entering politics he worked as a teacher and travel agent, He is a longstanding supporter of the democratic movement in Tonga. In 2007 he was one of three people, including Human Rights and Democracy Movement leader ʻAkilisi Pōhiva, who were prosecuted for their leadership of a protest march in June 2006. He was found not guilty and discharged.

Political career A member of the Democratic Party of the Friendly Islands, Sika was elected to Parliament in the seat of Tongatapu 2 in the 2010 elections. He was re-elected in the 2014 and became Chairman of the Committee of the Whole House. In April 2016 he was appointed Minister of Tourism and Infrastructure.

Following the 2017 election Sika was appointed Deputy Prime Minister. in July 2019 there were calls for his resignation after he intervened to silence a speech against bullying and sexism at the Miss Pacific pageant in Tonga.

He became acting premier following the death of Prime Minister ʻAkilisi Pōhiva on 12 September 2019. He contested the Premiership, but was defeated by Pōhiva Tuʻiʻonetoa by eight votes to fifteen. Sika led the PTOA.

In December 2020 he submitted a motion of no-confidence in Prime Minister Tuʻiʻonetoa.

He contested the 2021 Tongan general election, but was unsuccessful.

During the 2025 general election, Sika recaptured the Tongatapu 2 seat, receiving 55% of the vote. He defeated the incumbent representative, Education Minister ʻUhilamoelangi Fasi, who garnered 44%. The election produced a parliament composed entirely of independents, with the PTOA failing to capture any seats for the first time since its foundation. Sika endorsed incumbent ʻAisake Eke for another term in the prime ministerial vote in parliament, held on 15 December. Eke, however, went on to lose to Fatafehi Fakafānua. Despite not supporting him, Fakafānua appointed Sika to his cabinet, assigning him the infrastructure and tourism portfolios. Sika was sworn in on 6 January 2026, along with most of the new cabinet.

Fasi filed a lawsuit after the election, alleging that Sika had exceeded the 20,000 paʻanga campaign spending limit in breach of the Electoral Act. The Supreme Court found him guilty on 8 May. Sika said he did not expect the conviction, but that he would respect the ruling. Sika appealed the case; however, the Court of Appeal upheld the ruling, triggering a by-election in Tongatapu 2. Sika resigned from cabinet on 27 July, and he was formally unseated from parliament on 3 August.