A woman born and raised in Fiji is set to make history this week when she is formally sworn in as a Member of the Scottish Parliament.
Simita Kumar, 38, who attended Samabula Primary School and Dudley High School, was elected on May 7 as the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh South Western.
She secured victory with 11,727 votes during the 2026 Scottish Parliament election and is expected to take her oath at Holyrood in Edinburgh on Thursday.
Ms Kumar is believed to be the first Fiji-born person to be sworn in as a member of any parliament in the United Kingdom.
Born in Suva and raised in Samabula, Ms Kumar moved to Glasgow in 2005 with her parents, Ajay and Sarita Kumar, and her younger sister.
After settling in Scotland, she built a career in public service, working with NHS Lothian, Public Health Scotland and several children’s charities.
Her entry into politics followed years of community work and advocacy.
In 2022, she was elected as a City of Edinburgh councillor for Southside/Newington and later became leader of the SNP group on the council — becoming the first person of colour to lead a political party group in Edinburgh’s history.
Colleagues within the SNP have described her as a rising figure in Scottish politics.
During her election night speech, Ms Kumar called for greater civility in politics.
“Let kindness and civility guide us, even in disagreement,” she said.
Her mother, Sarita Kumar, said the family was overwhelmed with pride.
“This is an extraordinary achievement and we could not be more proud of her,” she said.
Ms Kumar’s journey from Samabula to the Scottish Parliament is being celebrated by many within the Fijian diaspora, with supporters describing her achievement as a milestone for Fiji-born communities living abroad.
