As discussions continue on the 2025 amendment to the Political Parties Act, we as Seychellois must take a firm stance against forces attempting to manipulate our country’s democratic process. Recent actions by political parties and key institutions – some of the very institutions responsible for protecting the integrity of our nation – have revealed troubling shortcomings in their responsibilities.
With elections only three months away, we must question the timing of this legislative maneuver and its disregard for fundamental principles of free and fair elections, as guaranteed in Article 24 of the Seychelles Constitution. There is a clear and present danger in unchecked financial influence pouring into political campaigns, especially when foreign entities with interests misaligned with the needs of the Seychellois people are involved. Our democracy must never be auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Under Article 25 of the Constitution, every citizen has the right to participate in politics free from external interference. Yet, as financial influence infiltrates our electoral process, we must act before it is too late. Are we, the Seychellois people, shaping our own future, or is foreign interference guiding our leaders in how we evolve as a nation? Seychelles must be governed by Seychellois – not by individuals or foreign entities seeking personal gain.
The Electoral Commission, as defined in Article 51 of the Constitution, is responsible for ensuring electoral integrity – including monitoring campaign financing to prevent manipulation. However, its current stance lacks the firmness needed to protect Seychelles’ sovereignty. The judiciary remains a legal avenue to contest questionable legislation, but why must the Seychellois people be forced into battle when we already have established structures meant to protect us? The Electoral Commission’s declaration that it is not there to prevent the Assembly from working disregards Article 52 of the Constitution, which exists to safeguard democracy against the chaos caused by political party financing.
We refuse to be passive observers while political strategies transform our essential democratic institutions into pawns in a game of power instead of upholding justice. Seychelles deserves leaders who govern with transparency, integrity, and loyalty to the Seychellois people – not individuals using their positions for personal wealth while bending our governance structures to serve themselves and their foreign associates.
Let us rise above blind loyalty to political individuals and instead rally behind principles that shape a just and progressive society. It is time for the Seychellois people to demand clarity, accountability, and concrete action in the national interest. Our democracy is not for sale. Our voices must be heard. Our future must be protected.
Allen Gervais Comettant (Maron)
A Concerned Citizen
