Mao ZemingCMG (born 11 November 1963) is aPapua New Guinean politician.[1] He served as Deputy Prime Minister from December 1999 to November 2000.
He was raised in theNew Guinea Highlands. After studying motor mechanics for his tertiary education inGoroka, he enrolled as an officer cadet in 1983 at thePapua New Guinea Defence Academy inLae.[2]
He was first elected toParliament in a by-election in July 1995, representing the Tewai-Siassi constituency (inMorobe Province). In July 1997, Prime MinisterBill Skate appointed him Minister for Defence, then reshuffled him in December to the position of Minister for Housing. Skate briefly shuffled him to the position of Minister for Forests in July 1998, then back to Minister for Housing in October. Out of the Cabinet from June 1999, he was back in it from December, this time under Prime MinisterMekere Morauta, as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture and Livestock. He held the position until November 2000, when Morauta sacked him, accusing him of disloyalty.[2][3]
In April 2003, the Leadership Tribunal found Zeming guilty on nine charges "relating to use of hisdiscretionary funds to pay companies owned or controlled by his associates".[4] On recommendation of the Tribunal, which deemed him "unworthy to continue in office" for his mishandling of millions ofkina, he was dismissed from Parliament in May by theGovernor-General.[2][5]
Returning to Parliament in the2012 general election, as a member of incumbent Prime MinisterPeter O'Neill'sPeople's National Congress Party, he was appointed Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resources.[2] In June 2015, he was made a Companion of theOrder of St Michael and St George "for services to the community and to politics".[6]
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| Preceded by | Deputy Prime Minister ofPapua New Guinea 1999–2000 | Succeeded by |
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