Governance
AFRINIC election ‘fraud’? Where’s the evidence, and who will face justice?
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) has once again descended into controversy after its 2025 board election was abruptly halted, then annulled, amid allegations of vote tampering, disputed powers of attorney (PoAs), and procedural misconduct. The incident has triggered a criminal compla…
Headline
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) has once again descended into controversy after its 2025 board election was abruptly halted, then annulled, amid allegations of vote tampering, disputed powers of attorney (PoAs), and procedural misconduct. The incident has…
Context
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) has once again descended into controversy after its 2025 board election was abruptly halted, then annulled, amid allegations of vote tampering, disputed powers of attorney (PoAs), and procedural misconduct. The incident has triggered a criminal complaint, institutional backlash, and threats of international intervention, raising urgent questions about who may face justice. Also read: AFRINIC staff violated obligations during 2025 election
Evidence
Pending intelligence enrichment.
Analysis
The election, held on 23 June 2025 after years of governance paralysis, was meant to restore AFRINIC’s legitimacy. Hundreds of members participated via in-person and electronic voting, with many appointing proxies through PoAs. But just minutes before polls closed, AFRINIC’s Nomination Committee (NomCom), led by Simon Davenport KC, abruptly suspended the vote. The reason: one proxy appeared unauthorised. Also read: AFRINIC election crisis triggered by one proxy: The phantom vote that spiraled out of control According to internal staff reports, the disputed PoA—since dubbed the “phantom proxy”—was cast without the consent of the resource holder. The incident was an isolated one, yet election staff suddenly cast doubt over hundreds of proxy votes, particularly those submitted by Number Resource Limited (NRL), a proxy agent for dozens of small African internet providers. NRL later revealed it had exercised only 20% of its ballots before the vote was frozen, effectively disenfranchising its members. On the same day , the Internet Service Providers’ Association of South Africa (ISPA) filed a criminal complaint with Mauritian authorities, with unverified claims of “mysteriously missing” proxies from the record. No evidence has yet been shown.
Key Points
- A single proxy vote has triggered the complete suspension of the AFRINIC Board elections, prompting a criminal investigation and drawing global scrutiny.
- ICANN has issued two letters urging action, warning of a potential compliance review and even considering the reassignment of Africa’s IP allocation authority.
- Hundreds of legitimate ballots have been invalidated, while voices from smaller ISPs remain conspicuously absent—deepening an already escalating governance trust crisis.
Actions
Pending intelligence enrichment.
