Ganesh Mahipaul, the Shadow Minister for Local Government and Regional Development, has accused the government of gerrymandering local district boundaries ahead of the 2023 Local Government Elections (LGE). Mahipaul, an Executive Member of the Opposition, also suggested that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) may boycott the LGE, as it has previously done.
The government has denied these allegations, stating that it is committed to holding free and fair elections and has no intention of manipulating the boundaries of local districts.
However, Mahipaul and his supporters are calling on the government to set a date for the LGE and ensure that the boundaries of local districts are drawn fairly. The LGE, which was last held in 2016, is an essential mechanism for holding local officials accountable and ensuring that communities have a say in how they are governed. They must be held transparently and democratically. Antonio Dey tells us more in this report.
