Namah served as minister, opposition leader since 2007

VANIMO-GREEN MP Belden Namah, a businessman, was first elected into Parliament in 2007.
He served for a time as Minister for Forestry under Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare.
In 2009, Namah joined the Opposition.
And when Sir Mekere Morauta stepped down as Opposition leader and PNG Party leader in May 2010, Namah took over both positions.
In August 2011, when the Somare government was ousted in a parliamentary motion of no confidence, Namah was picked by new Prime Minister Peter O’Neill as his deputy.
He was also Minister for Forestry and Climate Change.
In November, as the Supreme Court prepared to hear a case on the legitimacy of the O’Neill government, Namah ordered the suspension of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.
The government said Injia’s removal had nothing to do with the pending case on the government’s legitimacy.
The Supreme Court (unsuccessfully) ordered Namah’s arrest, and that of Attorney General Dr Allan Marat.
In the 2012 general election, Namah became leader of the Opposition to the O’Neill-led government.
The Government had the confidence of almost the entire Parliament. By early 2014, Namah led “an Opposition of only five MPs”.
He again won his seat in the 2017 general election.