VP Confirms Nyala Armoured Vehicle Still Gathering Dust at the Port—No Refund, No Replacement
After years of silence surrounding the controversial RG-12 Nyala armoured vehicle deal, Vice President Ahmed Afif confirmed in Tuesday’s National Assembly sitting that the vehicle is still parked—unused and unresolved—at Port Victoria.
Purchased in 2019 from a South African supplier under a deal shrouded in opacity and now facing scrutiny, the Nyala remains in limbo. Not deployed, not refunded, not replaced.
“The vehicle is still at the port,” Afif stated bluntly, adding that the Seychelles Government has neither received its money back nor a functional alternative from the supplier.
The VP’s admission sheds new light on a procurement that has long raised eyebrows in both civil society and among political observers. With mounting questions about the procurement process, contract enforcement, and accountability, this latest update offers little reassurance that a resolution is near.
Critics say the Nyala saga reflects deeper issues in Seychelles’ defense procurement practices—issues of oversight, enforcement, and value for taxpayer money.
The vehicle, designed for riot control and armored personnel transport, has now become a high-profile symbol of mismanagement and bureaucratic paralysis, as it sits idle and deteriorating at the docks while millions remain unaccounted for.
With elections on the horizon and public trust at a premium, this is one case that may roll into the political spotlight yet again—especially if answers remain as immobile as the Nyala itself.
