Vice-President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
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The vice-president of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is the second highest office in the province, which is an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea. The current vice-president is Ezekiel Massat, who was sworn in on 21 October 2025 after his appointment by President Ishmael Toroama.[1]
AppointerPresident
Term lengthFive years, renewable once
Inaugural holderJoseph Watawi
Formation15 June 2005
| Vice-President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville | |
|---|---|
Emblem of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville | |
since 21 October 2025 | |
| Appointer | President |
| Term length | Five years, renewable once |
| Inaugural holder | Joseph Watawi |
| Formation | 15 June 2005 |
The vice-president is appointed by the president from among the members of the House of Representatives from one region other than the region from which the president comes from.[2]
List of vice-presidents of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
| No. | Vice-President | Took office | Left office | Tenure | Party | Election | President | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
Joseph Watawi (1960–2021) |
15 June 2005 | 15 May 2007[a] | 1 year, 334 days | Bougainville People's Congress | 2005 | Joseph Kabui | |
| 2 | |
John Tabinaman (c. 1952–2021) [3][4] |
15 May 2007 | 19 January 2009[b] | 1 year, 249 days | Unknown | – | ||
| – | |
Mathias Salas (born TBA) Acting [5] |
7 June 2008 | 19 January 2009 | 226 days | Bougainville People's Congress | – | John Tabinaman | |
| 3 | |
Ezekiel Massat (born TBA) 1st time |
19 January 2009 | 10 June 2010 | 1 year, 142 days | Independent | 2008 | James Tanis | |
| 4 |  |
Patrick Nisira (born 1972) 1st time [6][7] |
10 June 2010 | 22 February 2017[c] | 6 years, 257 days | Independent | 2010 | John Momis | |
| 2015 | |||||||||
| 5 | |
Raymond Masono (?–2021) [7] |
22 February 2017 | 25 September 2020 | 3 years, 216 days | Unknown | – | ||
| (4) | |
Patrick Nisira (born 1972) 2nd time [8] |
25 September 2020 | 21 October 2025 | 5 years, 26 days | Independent | 2020 | Ishmael Toroama | |
| (3) | |
Ezekiel Massat (born TBA) 2nd time [9] |
21 October 2025 | Incumbent | 317 days | Independent | 2025 | ||
Notes
- Watawi was dismissed from the vice-presidency by President Joseph Kabui after an incident of public drunkenness.
- Tabinaman acceded to the presidency upon the death of President Joseph Kabui.
- Nisira resigned from the vice-presidency in order to contest the 2017 Papua New Guinean general election.