VICTORIA, Seychelles — The president and presidential candidate of United Seychelles party, Dr Patrick Herminie, has made a formal complaint to the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Seychelles, Wendy Didon, appealing the head of state’s decision to freeze the party’s property, which he claimed was unlawful and a threat to electoral fairness. In a letter issued on Wednesday and addressed to Mrs Didon’s office, Dr Herminie stated the party was making a formal complaint and urgent appeal concerning the ‘recent and deeply concerning actions of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Reverend Wavel Ramkalawan.’
The letter added that the action was ‘a blatant attack on the democratic process.’ ‘By deliberately eroding the financial capacity of the main opposition party before the commencement of the formal campaign, the president is undermining the principle of a level playing field, which is essential for free and fair elections. This is a reprehensible attempt to manipulate the electoral landscape and silence political opposition,’ added Dr Herminie. The party urgently requested that the Electoral Commission investigates this matter thoroughly and expeditiously, declare the president’s action as unlawful and a direct impediment to the fairness of the upcoming elections, demand the immediate lifting of the freeze on United Seychelles property and take all necessary measures to ensure that the electoral process is conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
In an interview with local media yesterday, Dr Herminie said the land in question was the one on Bois De Rose Avenue, where the former Flamboyant discotheque was located, which has been sold to a local company. However, the Registrar’s office was not allowed to proceed with the transfer process as restrictions were imposed on two grounds, namely that the land was bought through fraudulent act and secondly the land was designated as a public place. According to Dr Herminie, the party contested both before the Registrar and won their case.
