John Giheno

Q: When did John Giheno die?

John Giheno died on March 20, 2017.

Q: How old was John Giheno when they died?

John Giheno was 68 years old at the time of death.

John Giheno, CMG (1949 – 20 March 2017) was a Papua New Guinea politician and government minister. Giheno served as acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea from 27 March until 2 June 1997, following the resignation of then Prime Minister Julius Chan.

Prime Minister Julius Chan resigned on 27 March 1997, following a scandal regarding the hiring of foreign mercenaries to fight rebels on the island of Bougainville. The use of mercenaries by the Chan government resulted in a Papua New Guinea Defence Force mutiny codenamed 'Operasen Rausim Kwik' and riots in Bougainville. Chan stated that he resigned to preserve peace in Papua New Guinea.

The Cabinet chose John Giheno, who was serving as the mining and petroleum minister at the time, as acting prime minister until new elections could be held. Giheno served as prime minister as a caretaker until new elections could be held in June 1997. Sixteen government ministers in the Chan government, including both Giheno and Chan, lost their seats in Parliament in the June 1997 general election.

In the 1996 New Years Honours List he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG).