First term Lagumot Harris first served briefly as
President of Nauru from 19 April to 15 May 1978. Thus, he was
Nauru's third
head of state since its independence in 1968. In terms of
Nauru's emerging post-Independence political culture, the shortness of Harris's first term of Presidential office anticipated the very frequent changes of President to which Nauruans were to become accustomed, in contrast with the many years of
Hammer DeRoburt's continuous first term of office.
Second term Subsequently, a period of nearly twenty years elapsed before Harris assumed the Presidency of
Nauru for a second term. He was
elected President of Nauru again, and served between 22 November 1995 and 11 November 1996. Harris was
Minister of Finance in the cabinet of
Ruben Kun from December 1996 to February 1997. ==Issues and alignment==