The newly-formed platform uniting the opposition parties to confront the MSM-led government and “save the country” may, at first glance, seem jaw-dropping. It is, however, excellent news for democracy.

It is a move away from the ‘loyal’ opposition we have seen in recent years, with many opposition members scattered, unfocused and idly sitting and drooling for a bone that might be thrown to them by the government and, in the meantime, seeing no evil and hearing no evil. The new opposition unity is a real declaration of war of the right side of the House on the left side. That, in itself, is a step forward in democracy: a united opposition doing what it has been elected to do – oppose and act as a watchdog. 

Now, whether this united front will be able to stare down the behemoth that the MSM has become and push it onto the back foot is another matter. For that, what they need is a miracle.

“While the MSM is consolidating its power by changing laws to repress whatever opposing voices can still be heard, making institutions subservient to one family party and filling its war chest to the brim, the united opposition parties are relying on exposing and denouncing scandals ‘to save the country’. Good luck!”

Since it came to power in 2014, the MSM has had only one aim in mind: to enthrone Pravind Jugnauth and work towards making sure no wind ever manages to move that crown off his head. And there is no price too high for that. The results have been spectacular. Today, there are miserably few institutions left that are still acting independently. The high hopes we had placed in the new police commissioner, in this very magazine, have recently been shattered with the heavy landing of his cops at the Rohumallys to arrest Farihah for a benign Facebook post.

Every protégé is showered with so many gifts, contracts, unwarranted high office and opportunities of enrichment that the MSM has turned the country into a feeding trough for a lucky, loyal few. And the well-fed pigs have turned the animal farm into a little monarchy where the king reigns supreme. When the laws of the land do not suit him, they are simply changed and more and more repressive legislation is introduced.

To keep the sheeple happy, more and more money is being borrowed or simply taken from the Bank and a few crumbs are thrown at them. The MSM is wily enough to understand what makes the population tick. The vast majority of Mauritians are blissfully unaware of the scandals littering the country or of the hypocrisy involved. If they are, they don’t necessarily care. They crave the crumbs. An increase in pension, tax-free sesame seeds and toukmaria, a few pennies off their cooking gas or pulses…and they are happy to renew the exciting experience on polling day. Inflation, bankruptcy, the disastrous consequences of raiding the Bank and printing money, loans that we will never be able to pay back…Please don’t waste your breath. So the country borrows and borrows more. Our public debt had reached Rs382 billion by June 2020. That is 81.7% of GDP! But we are borrowing more. The latest loan is from the French government. The biggest loan in Africa.

While the MSM is consolidating its power by changing laws to repress whatever opposing voices can still be heard, making institutions subservient to one family party and filling its war chest to the brim, the united opposition parties are relying on exposing and denouncing scandals “to save the country”. Good luck! Every scandal is a huge opportunity for more money and more loyalty from the subjects.

As things stand, and considering the apathy of a large chunk of Lepep admirab, the opposition cannot “save the country”. Only a miracle can. Or the Judiciary. By the looks of it, that would be another miracle!