- AFRINIC annulled its long-awaited board election due to a single disputed proxy, discarding over 800 valid votes and silencing many small African ISPs.
- The decision risks legal backlash and deepens distrust in Africa’s internet governance amid years of leadership crisis.
Mauritius – June 23, 2025. What should have been the day AFRINIC emerged from three years of leadership paralysis has turned into a case study in electoral failure. Just minutes before polls closed on its long-awaited court-supervised board election, AFRINIC officials pulled the plug—annulling all votes due to a single disputed proxy.
One problematic ballot, over 800 legitimate ones cast—and the whole democratic process was discarded. This wasn’t just excessive. It was dangerous.
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One proxy error
The justification for this unprecedented step was a so-called “phantom proxy”—a power of attorney allegedly submitted without the knowledge of the member it claimed to represent.
This is serious, no doubt. But the response was completely disproportionate. In democratic systems across the world, the principle of proportional remedy is well established: when election irregularities occur, you isolate and invalidate the disputed votes—not the entire election.
As noted by experts at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), effective electoral dispute resolution systems protect fundamental political rights, the integrity of elections and the rule of law. So why did AFRINIC choose the nuclear option? Why punish hundreds for the alleged misdeed of one?
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Small ISPs silenced
Perhaps the most egregious consequence of this annulment is how disproportionately it harmed smaller African internet providers. One proxy agent, Number Resource Ltd, who represented dozens of small ISPs across Africa, reported that it was only able to cast 20% of its authorized proxy ballots before the vote was frozen. The remaining 80%—representing voices from the margins of Africa’s internet economy—were silenced.
These weren’t mistakes. They were deliberate votes, sent via documented proxies in full compliance with AFRINIC’s election rules. The sudden cancellation of their voices amounts to disenfranchisement on a massive scale.
No transparency, no justification
Despite the severity of this decision, AFRINIC has produced no evidence. All that’s known is that one member allegedly had a proxy vote submitted without their approval. That’s grounds for investigation—but not an excuse to junk the entire election. Even worse, election officials reportedly violated confidentiality by phoning members mid-process to “verify” their proxies, a direct breach of ballot secrecy and AFRINIC’s own bylaws.
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Risking regional stability and internet governance
The global internet governance community has taken notice, and not kindly. ICANN sent multiple letters to AFRINIC and its Receiver, expressing “serious concerns” and demanding answers for the annulled election. The Number Resource Organization (NRO) warned that undermining member-based elections could destabilize confidence in all Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). ICANN has even threatened to initiate a compliance review, a step that could eventually result in AFRINIC losing authority to manage Africa’s IP address space.
Count the votes and honor the results
There is no legal barrier preventing this. On the contrary, the Supreme Court of Mauritius authorized the June election in explicit terms. It emphasized the urgency of reconstituting AFRINIC’s board, stating that it was not “reasonable or responsible” to delay any further. If the Receiver, Mr. Gowtamsingh Dabee, must reverse the annulment and resume the vote count without delay.
The Mauritian courts, having already played a key role in steering AFRINIC toward stability, should now reaffirm their commitment to justice by endorsing this course correction. ICANN and Africa’s internet governance community must stand firm in defending due process—ensuring AFRINIC respects its own rules and the voice of its members, not top-down decisions made behind closed doors. And AFRINIC’s members must not remain passive.
Demand that your votes be counted. Demand transparency for any disputed ballots. And most of all, demand that this election—already fought for and lawfully begun—not be erased by a select few.
AFRINIC’s final chance
AFRINIC is at a defining crossroads. It must choose between upholding the democratic, lawful process its members and the courts envisioned—or sliding deeper into dysfunction, leaving Africa’s internet future vulnerable to outside interference. The path forward should be clear. We call on Receiver Dabee to immediately reverse the annulment of the June 23 election and resume the process of counting the votes. The Mauritian courts, which have thus far supported AFRINIC’s institutional recovery, should back this reversal in the interest of justice and continuity.
ICANN and regional internet stakeholders must also take a firm stand: AFRINIC must follow its bylaws and respect the voice of its membership, not impose top-down decisions behind closed doors. And to the community itself—now is not the time for silence. Demand that your votes be honoured. Demand transparency for any challenged ballots, and insist that all valid votes are counted without delay.
Time is of the essence. Though the court has ordered a new election by September 30, 2025, waiting that long would be a serious misstep. As one observer warned, that new vote will be a “last chance” to salvage AFRINIC’s legitimacy, so why gamble on a future vote when a valid one already exists? In truth, AFRINIC’s real last chance is now.
By recognising the June 23 outcome, it can start restoring credibility today and avoid months of further legal and institutional uncertainty. This would fulfil the courts’ goal of establishing a legitimate board and reaffirm respect for the rule of law. More importantly, it would show Africa’s network community that their voices count and that Africa’s internet governance is rooted in fairness, not fear.
This moment demands courage and integrity. AFRINIC must do the right thing: count the votes and seat the board. Anything less risks irreparable harm to its reputation and the future of African internet coordination.
The cost of delay – lost trust, external pressure, and institutional decay – is simply too high. AFRINIC’s authority rests on the will of its members. Now is the time to honour that will. The world is watching. For the sake of the internet in Africa and beyond, AFRINIC must act with accountability. Reverse the annulment. Count the votes. Let democracy prevail—and let AFRINIC move forward.
