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Mauritius’ opposition coalition won the country’s election emphatically. It paves the way for a peaceful handover that would buttress the country’s credentials as a stable investment hub after a high-profile wiretapping scandal last month.
Alliance du Changement, led by three-time former premier Navinchandra Ramgoolam (pictured), took all seats in the country’s parliament. Pravind Jugnauth, the Indian Ocean island’s prime minister since 2017, on Monday conceded that his L’Alliance Lepep was heading for a “huge defeat” after Sunday’s parliamentary election.
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Mauritius routinely tops rankings of African investment destinations, due its economic performance and political stability. But recordings leaked in recent weeks suggested government-sanctioned wiretapping has been widespread, prompting fears that civil liberties were under threat. The government briefly banned social media in response to the scandal.
“The fact that Mr Jugnauth conceded early is a positive reflection of the credibility of state institutions and belief in democratic principles,” said Jacques Nel, head of macro at advisory firm Oxford Economics Africa, in a note.
The View From Botswana
Last month Botswana’s voters kicked out the Botswana Democratic Party, which had ruled the country since independence in 1966. President Mokgweetsi Masisi quickly acknowledged that his party had lost in a landslide and congratulated Duma Boko, then leader of the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Boko was sworn in as president two days later.
