FMF soldiers have now gotten over the initial "cowboy" phase of the 5/12 coup.
They have gotten over the thrill of carrying live weapons in public and scaring the living daylights out of innocent civilians.
They have gotten over the thrill of playing commando and wearing their full battle fatigues in public.
They have gotten over all that jazz and all they have left are unanswered questions.
Chief among those unanswered questions is - Why did we do it and what did we achieve?
Unfortunately, no straight answers are forthcoming from King Bai and his boys, Driti and Leweni.
No evidence of corruption has been put forward since 5/12.
NLTB now appears free of corruption and so too does FNFP.
Pre-coup allegations that Tailevu High Chief Rt Jope Seniloli was corruptly released under CSO now seems to be unfounded. King Bai's boy Khaiyum has now admitted, post-coup, that there was nothing unlawful about Rt Jope's release after all.
So its completely understandable that the good soldiers of FMF are now asking themselves - Then what the hell did we just overthrow this government for?
With no evidence of corruption, the only visible changes since 5/12 was that Bai declared himself King of Fiji. And, his friends and relatives were promoted to high government positions. This, after he promised the nation that neither he (and by extension his family) nor anyone one in the military would benefit from the coup!
So the good soldiers of FMF are asking themselves - Did we carry out this coup to install Bai as King or did we do it to weed out corruption?
Truth is they did it to weed out corruption (because that was what they were told), Bai did it to install himself King. Rt Epeli G supported Bai and became King Maker.
Together, the King and King Maker were able to control the investigations into the missing regimental funds (more than FJ$300,000) stolen by the King Maker many years ago.
Its not that complicated really. The driving force behind 5/12 coup was power, greed and self-presevation!
So now the good soldiers of FMF are beginning to find out the truth. And they are not happy. In fact, the majority of the officers and the rank and file they are pissed off.
Rumours are now circulating within QEB that another takeover is imminent.
This is not one of those "wishful thinking" rumours.
This one appears to have some credibility.
I understand that more than a few soldiers have being sent home by their commanding officers because they want to avoid unnecessary injury or death, like what happened on 2/11.
A takeover, I am told, is now unavoidable because King Bai, Driti and Leweni have gone beyond the point where most of the Fijian soldiers are willing to blindly follow.
It is rumoured that King Bai and Driti are well aware of their imminent overthrow as it is now the hot topic of conversation among the soldiers at QEB. I got this information directly from loyalist soldiers within QEB.
King Bai it seems is only now coming to grips with the reality that he does not have the full support of many his senior officers.
It has been confirmed that many of the soldiers at QEB are frustrated at King Bai's unFijian like behaviour and they don't like his treatment of their Chiefs in the GCC.
Rumours are spreading within QEB that King Bai and Driti are working overtime to keep the military propaganda machine running because that is now their only hope to keep the FMF from factionalising more than it already has.
Those rumours also suggest that King Bai, Driti and Leweni have now shut out Roko Lui from their inner circle because Roko Lui is now beginning to understand that the military is being used by Mahen, Pramesh, Rt Epeli G and various businessmen to further their own agendas. Roko Lui, in other words, is openly opposing King Bai and Driti.
So, prepare yourselves because the the bond of comradeship that used to bind the military together is now quickly becoming undone.Very soon, King Bai will have to choose between abdicating his throne (and face going to jail forever - or at least until the cows come home) or ordering a bloody confrontation between his own troops (and face certain death).
Choose wisely dear King Bai... for this decision may be your last!
