On the occasion of the general election in the Republic of Mauritius

May democracy, voting rights, freedom of expression, security, stability, peace, and unity be upheld during the general elections in the country.

The general elections in the Republic of Mauritius shall be held on November 10, 2024. Voters shall return to the urns after five years to cast their ballots and vote for their candidate. The voter will choose the government for the next five years in the pure democratic and folkloric traditions of Mauritius.

Voting in the legislative elections is the highest form of citizenship and the sharpest expression of the will of the people. Voting is a fundamental civil right enshrined in the Constitution. It is a most uncompromised vital expression of freedom of every single Mauritian. It is important for people to always recall and remember that the right to vote did not come so easily like that to Mauritians standing on a heavy and painful colonial past, but it was hard-won through a historical battle of elders, led by various valorous leaders and engaged citizens from different backgrounds.

This is why the saying ‘the vote is sacred and secret’ is so important. Mauritian voters have the freedom to choose their Members of Parliament based on their own preferences, beliefs, ideas, ideologies, culture and personal conscience. Each individual has a right and absolute freedom to choose its representative based on the law and his/her personal convictions and conscience. Whereas, political alliances can change anytime, traditional and new parties, along with independent candidates, play a pivotal role in keeping the political landscape in Mauritius and Rodrigues vivid and lively.

AHAED invites all the voters including members of the civil society, NGO leaders, representatives of charities and volunteers to participate thoughtfully during election. AHEAD calls for strict observance of the law, uphold the rule of law and the need to pay respect to the institutions and authorities. Patience, mutual respect and understanding are vital for the democratic process, that is election. Everyone should be patient and respectful towards each other, towards authorities, including voters, candidates, agents, and politicians.

Every citizen must work to maintain harmony between different communities so as to preserve the social peace that makes the Mauritian so unique, amidst the evolving societal, economic, political and technological landscape. In fact, the political landscape in Mauritius is actually multipolar, not just perceived as bipolar as it may seem during an electoral campaign or before the general election.

It is of utmost importance for people to appreciate that the general election is primarily a civil and civic exercise. AHEAD takes this opportunity to invite every voting citizen to be responsible, to maintain calm and remain vigilant, as anything may disrupt the social fabric so beautifully woven since pre-independence and preciously maintained till now.

Therefore, every Mauritian has the responsibility to uphold honest and exemplary behaviour in order to maintain a clean socio-political environment, avoiding any actions that could weaken the social fabric. AHEAD calls upon political leaders and candidates to confine themselves within the precinct of the law, conduct themselves with dignity and respect, honesty, and integrity befitting of future deputies and ministers elected by the public. It is the duty of politicians and the more so that of candidates to ensure that election campaigns are not based on dividing the population and communities into groups and sub-groups, but it is important to, instead, prioritize unity in diversity, solidarity and inclusion, collectivism and promotion of mutual values which are non-discriminatory and divisive.

The expectations of the citizen heavily influence the actions of politicians, agents, and the candidates. The common citizen wants the law to be respected and democracy not only to be upheld, but to be strengthened in the process. Mauritians firmly believe in freedom of expression and look forward that such values are maintained not only during the electoral campaign season, but on the election day, counting and afterwards when the government is formed.

No doubt, the citizen looks for peace and stability. In all, Mauritians want that expression of a mature and well-groomed population which respects the law and the electoral process including fair play during election. The supporters, activists, and other agents in the political ecosystem play a crucial role in maintaining balance in the electoral process.

Every citizen is responsible for demonstrating reasoning and common-sense during election season. And AHEAD strongly believes that politicians and activists including candidates and political parties must not carry empty slogan of freedom and fairness, but it is their responsibility to ensure that every effort is deployed so that the general election is indeed free and fair and respectful of the rights and freedoms of the others! AHEAD invites voters, activists, and politicians to exercise their civil rights respectfully in order for the country to succeed and democracy to thrive!

Suraj Ray FCG
President, AHEAD
09/11/2024