The year 2025 opens with a major political project: the reform of the Local Government Act, a file that the Mauritian government hopes to complete by March to allow municipal elections to be held in April. This legislative overhaul is led by a ministerial committee bringing together the Minister of Local Government, Ranjiv Woochit, that of Foreign Affairs, Ritish Ramful, and the Attorney General, Gavin Glover.
Behind this initiative, a vision: to redefine the role of local institutions in a context where their legitimacy and effectiveness are regularly called into question. The issues are not limited to elections, but encompass a profound transformation of local governance, ranging from large cities to the most remote villages.
“A reform is already underway. We are in the process of increasing the number of meetings. The reform will affect not only town halls, but also village councils,” said Ranjiv Woochit in a telephone statement, confirming the intensity of the work behind the scenes. The timetable is ambitious: the amended text of the Local Government Act must, according to very reliable informants at the Ministry of Local Government, be presented and adopted before the beginning of March. Unless unforeseen. The dissolution of municipal councils, necessary to initiate the electoral process, should take place immediately. Or around mid-March.
This race against time is fueled by the need to meet pressing expectations. The last edition of municipal elections dates back several years, on June 15, 2015, leaving an institutional void and growing frustrations among citizens. 120-0 in the 2015 municipal elections. The defunct Alliance Lepep (MSM-PMSD-ML) won the 120 seats. “The electorate condemned Bérenger’s betrayal,” declared Sir Anerood Jugnauth, then leader of the alliance, shortly before the official proclamation of the results. Municipal elections, which have not taken place since 2015, represent a major strategic issue for the Alliance for Change. But the objective is clear for these municipal councils: to give residents elected representatives capable of meeting their daily needs.
The axes of the reform
Our very reliable informant insists that the planned changes “touch fundamental aspects of local management”. The reform also requires the valuable helping hand of the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) because it will also be a question of delimitation. Among the avenues under study, a redistribution of powers between municipal councils and village administrations, a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of local elected officials, and better coordination between the different administrative strata.
These adjustments should enable more efficient governance that is closer to citizens.
Issues beyond municipal
“It’s long awaited. But it is not enough just to organize elections but to reform local communities,” points out observer Jocelyn Chan Low. The latter pleads for a total overhaul in the management of town halls and it all starts with the budget allocated by the government. This reform, he emphasizes, is not limited to the organization of the next elections. It reflects a desire to rethink the place of local institutions in the political landscape. Municipalities, often criticized for their inertia and disconnection, will have to adapt to new realities. “This reform, although essential, is a challenge. But we are convinced that it will strengthen local democracy and improve the services offered to citizens,” underlined Ranjiv Woochit.
-Towards a political test
The municipal elections in April will also be a barometer for political parties as a prelude to the next general elections? “It’s very early. But the barometer will be the voter participation rate. But you have to wait. We don’t know the opposition. We do not even know if the extra-parliamentarians will be candidates. The government has promised to restore democracy. But it all starts with local communities. In this context, the reform of the Local Government Act, if it is perceived as fair and effective, could influence electoral dynamics. As a result, the government will give democracy its letter of nobility, which will be endorsed by a high participation rate in municipal elections,” explains Jocelyn Chan Low.
Upheaval
When the government took power in 2014, recalls former mayor Ananda Rajoo, the local political scene was turned upside down. “The mandate of municipal councilors, elected in 2012, was abruptly shortened. Since 2015, town halls have been run by appointed administrators, under the dual aegis of the PMSD and the MSM,” he says.
According to him, this is a situation which reflects an old trend: the gradual transformation of town halls into simple branches of the National Development Unit (NDU). “The quality of democracy rests on its foundations. However, various governments have tried, over the years, to muzzle town halls,” notes Ananda Rajoo. These municipal elections, scheduled for 2025, will definitely be the first in a decade. An unprecedented interval, which raises questions about the future of urban management.
A democratic issue under tension
“Municipal elections will have the importance that citizens want to give them. However, beyond the ballot, it is the capacity of the central authority to grant real administrative and financial autonomy which will be decisive,” underlines Ananda Rajoo. For the speaker, this autonomy is the key to effective local governance. “We need to give meaning back to regional administration. Managers must be able to finance their projects, either by finding innovative solutions or by presenting structuring projects to develop cities,” he asks.
