The Indian Ocean island of Mauritius is preparing for Sunday’s national election with great tension, as Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth seeks a second term at the helm of a country often hailed as one of Africa’s success stories.
Mauritius, located about 2,000 kilometres (1,240 miles) east of the African coast, is recognised as one of the continent’s most stable democracies and has developed a thriving economy supported by its financial, tourism and agricultural sectors since gaining independence from Britain in 1968.
Jugnauth, 62, has been prime minister since 2017, succeeding his father. An alliance of parties led by the centre-left Mouvement Socialiste Militant won a majority of seats in parliament to consolidate its leadership in 2019. The MSM has led the government since 2009. Its five-party Alliance for the People will face the Alliance for Change led by opposition leader Navin Ramgoolam in this weekend’s election.
Mauritians will vote for 62 seats in parliament, with the majority party or alliance forming the government and choosing the prime minister. Eight other MPs are chosen by the Election Oversight Council. The World Bank has described Mauritius, a former sugar plantation colony, as “a success story for sub-Saharan Africa” and highlighted its remarkable economic growth since independence.
Mauritius was briefly classified as a high-income country in 2020 before the COVID-19 pandemic caused a setback. The country still has one of the highest standards of living in Africa. The island, famous for its idyllic tropical beaches, has a population of just over a million and ranks second in Africa behind the Seychelles on the Human Development Index.
With a strong Indian influence, with over 60% of Mauritius of Indian origin, the population speaks Mauritian Creole, a French-based language with English and other influences. Jugnauth was recently bolstered when the British government agreed to return sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius after a long dispute.
However, a nationwide social media ban a week ago in response to a phone-tapping scandal has led to criticism of Jugnauth’s government and sparked political unrest ahead of the election. Nicole Beardsworth, a political researcher at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, noted the discontent of some Mauritians after allegations of irregularities in the 2019 election.
The wiretapping scandal has exposed a widespread system of surveillance in Mauritius, according to Reporters Without Borders. The organization has called for an investigation into the five well-known Mauritian journalists who were allegedly wiretapped. Transparency and freedom of information are vitally important to a healthy democracy and it is crucial that these issues are addressed appropriately to ensure public trust.
In conclusion, the upcoming election in Mauritius represents a crucial milestone for the island nation. Voters will have to weigh economic achievements against concerns about transparency and governance in making their decision. The outcome will influence the future of the country and its reputation as a model of success in Africa.