Kinza Clodumar


HE Kinza Godfrey Clodumar is a Nauruan politician who served as President of Nauru from 1997 to 1998.

Background

Clodumar was born in Boe. He is a member of the indigenous population of Nauru, and he is concerned with environmental issues. He was a Member of Parliament for many years.
Clodumar is the only Nauruan politician to have been elected to parliament in two different constituencies. He served his first two terms for the Aiwo Constituency when ousting Itubwa Amram in the 1971 elections; after being re-elected thrice Clodumar resigns his post in early 1979, but has been re-elected in the 1983 elections. In 1992, he did not candidate for a seat and moved to the neighbouring Boe Constituency, where he was re-elected in 1995 to serve a third term in parliament.
He served as Minister Assisting the President of Nauru in the cabinets of Bernard Dowiyogo and Kennan Adeang in 1976-1978 and from September 1986 to October 1986. He was the Speaker of the Parliament of Nauru from a short term in December 1986.
Clodumar has given and withdrawn support from several other Nauruan politicians, including Bernard Dowiyogo, René Harris and Ludwig Scotty. For presidents, withdrawal of support by Clodumar often meant that a president will lose a no confidence vote.

Presidency

Clodumar was President of Nauru from February 12, 1997 until June 18, 1998, when he was deposed in a no confidence vote.

Later life

He served as Minister of Finance from 2003 until October 2004. In 2003, Clodumar himself tried to regain the presidency of Nauru twice but narrowly lost the parliamentary vote both times. He lost his seat in Parliament in the October 2004 election.
Clodumar is also noted for having founded and led the Centre Party.