The Alliance Lepep, led by Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Leader of the ruling MSM party and regrouping the PMSD, led by Charles Gaetan Xavier-Luc Duval (former Leader of the Opposition), the Mouvement Liberateur, led by former Public Utilities Minister Ivan Leslie Collendavelloo, the Mouvement Patriotique, led by Alan Ganoo, Minister of Transport and of the Light Rail and the Plateforme Militante, led by Louis Steven Obeegadoo, Minister of Housing and Lands, on Wednesday launched its electoral manifesto entitled ‘Pli For Ensam’ (Stronger together).

The 33-page document is 10 pages longer than the 2019 manifesto and contains a pack of measures for the next five years, out of which the 17 main ones are as follows:

1. Old age pension to rise to Rs 20,000 monthly.

2. Guaranteed minimum salary will be Rs 25,000 monthly.

3. Monthly allowance for those living with a disability of Rs 5,000 in addition to their Disability Pension.

4. Free medicine for all: All medicines prescribed by doctors will be free.

5. Zero percent interest rate on home loans taken by those aged 18 to 35 years old

6. An allowance of Rs 5,000 per month for every child aged 0 to 18 years old. 

7. Setting up of a Pupil Equity Fund to support schoolchildren from families with low income

8. Abolition of the monthly MBC TV Licence fee of Rs 150.

9. The current free public transport scheme will be extended to widows and widowers.

10. Discontinue the practice of automatic arrests and set up of a special court for drug-related offences.

11. Setting up of an independent institution to control the issue of phone tapping and management of Safe City Camera footages.

12. The legislation governing the Certificate of Character will be softened to enable ex-offenders obtain jobs.

13. The Pay Research Bureau report will be implemented as from January 2025.

14. Setting up of 20 Animal Shelters for stray animals.

15. Free internet for families with low income and reduction of 25% on prices of internet packages.

16. A minimum allowance of Rs 10,000 for families affected by natural calamities.

17. A monthly allowance of Rs 2,000 for all housewives.

On its side, the Alliance du Changement, led by Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, Leader of the Labour Party, and comprising of the MMM, led by Paul Raymond Berenger, the Nouveaux Democrates, led by Richard Duval and Rezistans ek Alternativ, led by Trade Unionist Ashok Subron, will present its manifesto for the coming election on Tuesday 29 October 2024.

The Reform Party, led by Barrister Roshi Badhain, in coalition with the Linion Moris, led by Barrister and Human Rights Activist Rama Valayden, intends to implement 80 key reforms if it wins the election.

The general election will be held on 10 November 2024 and results will be declared the following day. Under the Mauritian electoral system, parties field 3 candidates in each of the 20 constituencies in Mauritius and 2 candidates in Rodrigues Island and the party who wins a majority of seats under the first past the post system forms the next government. The four main parties that have dominated the political scene are the Labour Party, the MMM and the PMSD whilst the MSM was created in 1983 by Late sir Anerood Jugnauth, the father of the current Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth.

Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, father of Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam, was the first Prime Minister of Mauritius from 1968 to 1982, while Sir Gaetan Duval, father of Xavier-Luc Duval, was formerly leader of the PMSD. Dr Navinchandra Ramgoolam was Prime Minister from 1995 to 2000 and 2005 to 2014. Sir Anerood Jugnauth has been Prime Minister from 1983 to 1995, 2000 to 2003 and 2014 to 2017. He has also been President of the Republic from 2003 to 2013.  Paul Raymond Berenger has occupied the post of Prime Minister from 2003 to 2005 and has spent most of his political career as Leader of the Opposition.

The PMSD was also in alliance this year with the Labour party and the MMM but later Xavier-Luc Duval decided to leave the alliance and joins the ruling MSM party. Some of its members did not follow him but instead created a new party, the Nouveaux Democrates, led by Xavier’s brother Richard Duval who then remained with the Labour/MMM alliance. Each main party in Mauritius has at some time been either an ally or an opponent of the others. While politics may appear to be a family affair in Mauritius, it is the national hobby of Mauritians. Foreigners in Mauritius should not miss the political folklore on the island.