The President of the Marshall Islands is the head of government and head of state of the Marshall Islands. The president is elected by the Nitijeļā (Legislature) from among its members. Presidents pick cabinet members from the Nitijela. Amata Kabua was elected as the first president of the republic in 1979. Subsequently, he was re-elected to four-year terms in 1983, 1987, 1991, and 1996. After Amata Kabua's death in office, his first cousin, Imata Kabua, won a special election in 1997. Casten Nemra, who was elected and took office in January 2016, was replaced by Hilda Heine one week later.