LINYON DEMOKRATIK SESELWA REJECTS HANDOVER OF PRESIDENCY AND
CALLS FOR ELECTION
Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) rejects the handover of the
Presidency from Mr. James Michel to Mr. Danny Faure and calls for a fresh
Presidential election to allow the people of Seychelles to choose a President
that will have a clear mandate to govern the country.
LDS makes the following statements in reaction to the
decision by Mr. James Michel to resign as President with effect October 16th,
2016 and to handover the Presidency to Mr. Faure.
1. Mr. James Michel has not given clear and valid grounds
for his decision to resign and hand over power. In entering the Presidential
Election of December 2015, he gave the people of Seychelles a clear undertaking
to serve a mandate of five years and it was on that basis that he was elected.
While the Constitution provides for a handover of power upon the resignation of
the President, this can only be reasonable on serious and valid grounds
relating to incapacity to perform the duties required. It is not acceptable on
the grounds that have been stated, only nine months after he was declared
President, of passing responsibility for implementing the party’s program to a
younger team. LDS is questioning the legality of this process.
2. Mr. Michel was declared President in December 2015 after
a tightly contested election marred by illegal practices and failures in the
electoral process. His mandate to govern the country on the basis of this
election was itself uncertain. For his part, Mr. Danny Faure has no claim to
any such mandate.
3. In the National Assembly elections held in September
2016, LDS gained an overall majority of the popular votes over the Parti Lepep.
For this reason too, Mr. Faure cannot claim to have the support of the
Seychellois people and therefore has no mandate to govern.
4. The practice of handing over power is in itself
undemocratic and LDS has declared its intention to revise the Constitution to
amend it in favour of acceptable democratic procedure. LDS cannot accept its
use in a situation where democratic principles are not respected. The character,
capability and fitness to govern of Mr. Danny Faure must be submitted to the
decision of the people of Seychelles
5. Under the circumstances, it is necessary for the sake of
our democracy to hold a new Presidential election in order for a President to
be elected with a clear mandate to govern. LDS will use its position in the
National Assembly to insist on a fresh Presidential election.
6. LDS believes it is of paramount importance that the new
Presidential election is held promptly but with due regard for it to be
organised properly in order for it to be fully credible. In that respect LDS
calls for the appointment of a new Chairperson for the Electoral Commission and
for the electoral regulations and practices to be reviewed in the light of the
National Assembly elections.
7. LDS reiterates its firm commitment to the democratic
process and the proper functioning of all institutions of the state and the
government. It confirms its commitment to peace, stability and orderly
elections in our country.
Roger Mancienne September 28, 2016
Chairman, Linyon Demokratik Seselwa
