Mauritians have taken the debate surrounding the alleged election rigging with a great sense of humour. Our fellow-citizens’ latent creativity gave way to all sorts of posts and exchanges that have lightened the very heavy atmosphere following the election results. The fact remains however that the usual serenity of our elections and the almost blind trust we had in our Electoral Supervisory Commission (ESC), and in our system in general, have been dealt a severe blow. 

We don’t want to overdramatise an already serious situation, or exacerbate the feelings of compatriots who are currently feeling let down by a system that had previously served them well. I do not on the other hand agree with those who are qualifying the citizens fighting to establish facts and people’s rights as ‘hysterical’, while jumping to the conclusion that there is no evidence of any wrongdoing. That is for our courts of law to decide. What is absolutely certain is that this is the first time I recall in the history of this country that we have had such mass protests, and an opposition united in its conviction that there has been serious election rigging in many forms, culminating in its determination to seek redress. We thank God citizens still have faith in the Judiciary.

I understand from my lawyer-friends that the Supreme Court should be able to give its verdict within six months or so. All the better for democracy. In the meantime, citizens are carrying on with their initiative of finding out the number of people who were struck off the electoral registers and why, and planning protests to give support to the upcoming legal action. All this is healthy and normal in a democracy. 

What is also normal is to apportion the blame. In this case, the blame was directed at the ESC.  I sympathise with my good friend Irfan Rahman, who has been under so much pressure that he has even threatened to resign. I don’t think he should. There is no allegation implicating him directly. But some truths have to be hammered home.

The ESC has – until recently – always been seen as a fiercely independent bulldog but at the same time one without teeth. Sort of Mr. Nice Guy that everybody likes but no one fears. That is something that the commission has to think about in the light of the allegations made and which are now heading to court. The commission has not shown any initiative or determination to be pro-active. So the registration of citizens has been going on in the same old way as it had for the last 40 years. This archaic method has been swallowing huge resources which could have been minimised with a simple slip dropped at people’s homes in their absence, putting the onus on them to get in touch with the commission within a certain delay if they were not home at the time the canvassers called. This would save paying overtime and multiplying visits, with the result that we now know.

“Some of the allegations surrounding the election must be directly or indirectly related to the commission’s own lethargy and eagerness to please and comply at all times. They were aggravated by the amusing explanations offered, which did not convince everyone.”

The tradition of waiting for the day after polling day to start counting votes – which dates back to the era when there was no electricity – has been going on unquestioned. Apart from being inefficient and involving unnecessary resources, it opens the doors wide to wrongdoings. This was even highlighted by observers from the African continent. The commission has never once pushed for enacting legislation to allow the counting of votes the same day. And no, thank you, we don’t want to hear about electronic voting – a system open to even more abuse!

Also, when openly partisan people were appointed on the commission, we heard a lot of protest from citizens and journalists. Not a whimper from the ESC! Why should the nice bulldog rock the boat? Nor did we hear any protests when the election was announced on a day when schools and teachers were taken up with exams. It was only after the event that we heard that the commission was short of resources – and trained ones at that – during the election, with all the implications that has had on the organisation of the election. 

Some of the allegations surrounding the election must be directly or indirectly related to the commission’s own lethargy and eagerness to please and comply at all times. They were aggravated by the amusing explanations offered, which did not convince everyone.

The good news is that this whole episode will soon be entrusted to the able hands of the Supreme Court. So keep an open mind and have the peanuts handy!

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