Loujaya Toni
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The Honourable Loujaya Kouza MP |
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|---|---|
| Minister for Community Development, Religion and Family Affairs | |
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In office 9 August 2012 – 10 August 2014 |
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| Prime Minister | Peter O'Neill |
| Succeeded by | Delilah Gore |
| Member of Parliament for Lae Open |
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Assumed office 13 July 2012 |
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| Preceded by | Bart Philemon |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | Triumph Heritage Empowerment Party |
Loujaya Kouza (born 20 July 1966) is a Papua New Guinean politician, poet and singer. She was known under her married name of Loujaya Toni when he elected, but reverted to her maiden name in 2013 after divorcing her husband.
She was born in Lae. Poems which she wrote as a schoolgirl were published by the Education Department, earning her a description as "PNG's youngest poet". In 1985, under the name Loujaya Dunar, "she launched a string of solo gospel music albums", beginning a career as a singer / songwriter. Most notably, she wrote the song "Keep the Fire Alive" and performed it with the group Tambaran Culture at the 1991 South Pacific Games in Port Moresby. A qualified journalist, she has also taught as a part-time tutor at the University of Technology in Lae.
She stood unsuccessfully for election to the National Parliament in the 2007 general election. After a master's degree in communications in 2012, she stood again, in the general election that same year. Representing the Indigenous People's Party, she stood in the constituency of Lae, the capital of Morobe Province and the second largest city in the country, against the incumbent MP: her uncle Bart Philemon, veteran politician, outgoing Minister for Public Service, previously Minister for Finance and "widely respected economic reformer". She defeated him and won the seat, as one of the only three women elected to Parliament that year (with Delilah Gore and Julie Soso), out of 111 MPs. Despite being a first time MP, she was appointed Minister for Community Development, Religion and Family Affairs by Prime Minister Peter O'Neill, and joined his People's National Congress Party after the election.
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