Governance
AFRINIC election undermined by government: When the ministry meddles
In the recent AFRINIC elections, that were meant to re-establish a functioning board for the Regional Internet Registry, there was a notable intervention by a usually quiet actor – the Mauritian Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT). This intervention by a public body in a pri…
Headline
In the recent AFRINIC elections, that were meant to re-establish a functioning board for the Regional Internet Registry, there was a notable intervention by a usually quiet actor – the Mauritian Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT). This intervention by a…
Context
In the recent AFRINIC elections, that were meant to re-establish a functioning board for the Regional Internet Registry, there was a notable intervention by a usually quiet actor – the Mauritian Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT). This intervention by a public body in a privately organised election that was ordered by the Supreme Court is unprecedented, and raises questions about why this happened, and what the impact might be.
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
The African Network Information Centre (Afrinic) scheduled its board election for 23 June 2025 under court-appointed supervision. This vote was intended to resolve a governance vacuum affecting its ability to allocate IP resources across Africa. Soon after voting began, the Mauritian Ministry of ICT and national police intervened, citing allegations of a single invalid proxy vote. They formally reached out to AFRINIC and commenced an investigation, prompting an immediate suspension of vote counting. Immediately the questions started – why should a single uncharted vote cause the cancellation of an entire election? Hundreds of other votes, legitimately and legally filed, were vetoed due to this one instance. What was going on? Five days later, the court-appointed receiver, Gowtamsingh Dabee, officially nullified the election. The Supreme Court then granted until 30 September 2025 to conduct a fresh vote under heightened scrutiny. Afrinic is structured as a private company limited by guarantee under Mauritius law. Its bylaws define that elections should be managed by internal committees, including Nomination and Election Committees independent of state control. Normally, courts can only revoke corporate elections if there is evidence of fraud, coercion or non-compliance with statutory procedures.
Key Points
- The Mauritian Ministry of ICT and police paused Afrinic’s private board election despite court oversight.
- Experts caution that the intervention may set a troubling precedent for government power over private entities.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
