Mauritius PM uproar

PRAVIND Jugnauth, son of Indian-origin Anerood Jugnauth, took over as Mauritius prime minister on Monday after the 86-year-old resigned in favour of his son.

Anerood Jugnauth, who has been in his post since 2014, announced in a televised address on Saturday he was resigning in favour of a “younger and more dynamic leader”, reported news channel Africanews.

The move prompted accusations of nepotism and calls for a referendum from opponents.

Pravind Jugnauth, 55, is the leader of the main political party, the Militant Socialist Movement and had already formed his ministerial cabinet after receiving an appointment letter from President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim.

The main opposition Labour Party protested against the appointment, which it termed a “father-son deal”. The police rejected a request from the Labour Party to hold a sit-in protest. Labour leaders urged their supporters to wear black to denounce the move.

“This is a black day for Mauritius. The Jugnauth family is turning the Island into a banana republic. This is great treason as the population never voted for this dynastic arrangement,” former prime minister and Labour Party leader Navin Ramgoolam said.

Pravind Jugnauth also holds the post of finance minister and his party has had the majority of seats in the National Assembly since December 2014.

The younger Jugnauth studied law at the University of Buckingham, England, and joined Lincoln’s Inn as a barrister in London. He then went to Aix-Marseille University in France, where he graduated with a master’s degree in law.

Pravind is married and has three daughters.

His father, Anerood, has served as both president and prime minister of Mauritius and held various ministerial portfolios.