Ruben Zackhras Explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency
Ruben Zackhras
Office:President of the Marshall Islands
Acting
Term Start:21 October 2009
Term End:2 November 2009
Predecessor:Litokwa Tomeing
Successor:Jurelang Zedkaia
Office1:Minister in Assistance to the President
Term Start1:September 2009
Term End1:January 2012
President1:Litokwa Tomeing
Jurelang Zedkaia
Predecessor1:Christopher Loeak
Successor1:Tony deBrum
Office2:Minister of Finance
Term Start2:1992
Term End2:1998
Predecessor2:Henchi Balos
Successor2:Tony deBrum
Birth Date:4 December 1947
Birth Place:Ailinglaplap Atoll, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands
Death Date: [1]
Death Place:Hawaii, United States
Party:UDP
Spouse:Rothie Zackhras
Children:7

Ruben R. Zackhras (4 December 1947[2] – 26 December 2018) was a Marshallese politician. He was acting President of the Marshall Islands from 21 October 2009 to 26 October 2009. [3] He previously served as Minister of Finance from 1992 to 1998.

Zackhras, graduated from the University of Guam in 1971 holding a BA in Public Administration, served in Marshallese politics for 36 years and in the Nitijela from 1979 to 2015, and served as a representative of Ailinglaplap Atoll. His initial political career was combined with his role as a teacher. He was elected to the Marshallese constitutional convention in 1977. He was appointment as Minister of Transportation and Communication in 1979. From 1982 Zackhras was appointed as minister of Transportation and Communication, Interior and Outer Island Affairs, Justice and Health & Environment, until his appointment in 1989 as Minister of Finance. In the year of 2000, Zackhras was elected as deputy speaker of the Nitijela serving until 2007.

Zackhras served as Minister in Assistance to former president Litokwa Tomeing[4] until Tomeing was ousted in the country's first successful vote of no confidence against a sitting president on 21 October 2009.[5] The Speaker of the Nitijela, Jurelang Zedkaia, appointed Zackhras as the acting president of the Marshall Islands until new presidential elections could be held.[5] Zackhras remained acting President until 26 October 2009, when Jurelang Zedkaia was elected as President by the Nitijela.[6] Zackhras was subsequently appointed as Minister in Assistance to the President of Jurelang Zedkaia and served until January 2012. He was appointed as the ambassador to Fiji by President Hilda Heine, and held that position until his death.[7]

Zackhas died of cancer on 26 December 2018 in Hawaii, United States, aged 71.[7]

He was member of the United Democratic Party. Mattlan Zackhras was his son.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: archive . 2022-11-21 . 2022-11-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221121103214/https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/197446154/ruben-zackhras . live.
  2. Web site: Nitijela of the Marshall Island: 5.
  3. Web site: The Cabinet. Office of the President Republic of the Marshall Islands. 21 November 2011.
  4. https://web.archive.org/web/20100417094757/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hlzdubNZuoetx6SdFblGLAoZmpgA Marshall Islands premier ousted in confidence vote
  5. News: Marshall Island parliament elects new President . . 2009-10-21 . 2009-10-27.
  6. News: The Marshall Islands parliament has elected the Speaker, Jurelang Zedkaia, as its fifth President . . Islands Business. 2009-10-26 . 2009-10-27.
  7. Web site: Ruben made his mark on RMI. https://web.archive.org/web/20201017171201/https://marshallislandsjournal.com/ruben-made-his-mark-on-rmi/. 3 January 2019. 17 October 2020.