Tupeni Baba

Tupeni Baba
Baba in 2022
Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji
In office May 1999 – 19 May 2000 Serving with Kuini Speed
Prime Minister	Mahendra Chaudhry
Prime Minister	Laisenia Qarase
Minister for Foreign Affairs
In office 1999 – 19 May 2000
Preceded by	Berenado Vunibobo
Succeeded by	Kaliopate Tavola
Minister for Education, Youth, and Sport
In office April 1987 – 14 May 1987
Prime Minister	Timoci Bavadra
Member of the Fijian Parliament for Samabula Tamavua Open
In office 15 May 1999 – 1 September 2001
Preceded by	None (constituency established)
Succeeded by	Manoa Dobui
Member of the Fijian Parliament for Suva Fijian
In office 11 April 1987 – 14 May 1987
Preceded by	David Toganivalu
Succeeded by	None (Constitution abrogated)
Personal details
Born	(1942-06-14)14 June 1942 Colony of Fiji
Died	14 July 2024(2024-07-14) (aged 82)
Political party	Fiji Labour Party New Labour Unity Party Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Social Democratic Liberal Party

Tupeni Lebaivalu Baba (14 June 1942 – 14 July 2024) was a Fijian academic, politician, and Cabinet Minister. A founding member of the Fiji Labour Party, he served as a Cabinet Minister in the government of Timoci Bavadra until removed from office by the 1987 Fijian coups d'état, and then one of the two Deputy Prime Ministers in the government of Mahendra Chaudhry^[1] until removed from office by the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. After splitting with Choudhry in the wake of the coup, he founded the New Labour Unity Party to contest the 2001 election, but failed to win a seat in Parliament. He unsuccessfully attempting to re-enter politics at the 2006 election under the banner of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua, and again at the 2014 election as part of the Social Democratic Liberal Party.

When not in politics, Baba pursued an academic career, first at the University of the South Pacific, then at the University of Auckland's Centre for Pacific Studies, and later at the University of Fiji.