Apologies for cross-posting
Dear Valued Members and the Internet Community,
During the elections held on 23 June 2025, suspicions of irregularities were raised, particularly regarding the use of Powers of Attorney by some voters. Complaints were submitted to the relevant authorities by aggrieved parties, and the Police is investigating the matter.
In the interest of transparency and fairness and given the absence of final conclusions from the ongoing investigation, I made the decision to annul the results of these elections. Therefore, I am currently unable to formally report on the extent of the identified irregularities.
Nevertheless, I reported the matter to the Supreme Court of Mauritius and requested an extension of my mandate as Receiver to organize new elections. This request was granted. These elections must now be held no later than 30 September 2025.
In this context, and to ensure a more inclusive electoral process, I invite all stakeholders of the Internet community to submit the names of credible and trustworthy individuals to serve on the Nominations Committee (NomCom), which will be responsible for overseeing the candidate selection process. The responsibilities of the Nom Com are outlined here:
a) use its best effort towards ensuring that a satisfactory number of individuals from the African internet community stand as candidate for the election of the directors of AFRINIC; and
b) have general responsibility for, and shall supervise the conduct of the polls by the election Committee throughout the voting period.
c) In the discharge of its function above, the Nom Com:
i. shall call for candidates for elections held by AFRINIC;
ii. prescribe criteria and qualifications for eligibility to stand as candidate for elections held by AFRINIC;
iii. may interview candidates prior to finalising the list of candidature; and
d) Shall finalise the list of candidates for any election held by AFRINIC.
Deadline for submission: 17 July 2025
Please send your proposals to the following email address: nomcomselection@afrinic.netmailto:nomcomselection@afrinic.net
The NomCom will be formed by selecting one representative from each region. This measure helps protect the integrity of the election and ensures neutrality, addressing any concerns of regional bias or conflict of interest.
Finally, to prevent any disputes similar to those previously observed, neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted for the upcoming elections. The elections will be conducted entirely online, allowing all eligible voting members to exercise their rights from wherever they are.
Thank you for your cooperation and your commitment to AFRINIC’s renewal and stability.
Gowtamsingh DABEE
Receiver