Africa’s only serving female president so far the Mauritius’ President Ameenah Gurib-Fakim has refused to resign after it was announced last week that she would do so once the country marks its 50th independence anniversary celebrations on 12 March.
Gurib-Fakim’s cabinet has already initiated impeachment processes against her following allegations that she spent several hundred thousand rupees on personal purchases, using a Platinum credit card offered by a non-governmental organisation, Planet Earth Institute (PEI).
Her office has said the purchases were accidental and have been paid back.
The Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Jugnauth who claimed last week that Gurib-Fakim would be stepping down did not give details of when exactly the president was expected to quit.
Mr Jugnauth however signalled that the president’s resignation would happen before the country’s parliament resumes sitting on 27 March.
“The president of the republic has told me that she will resign from her position,” Mr Jugnauth is quoted by the local media as saying.
“We have agreed on the date but I will not announce it. The interest of the country comes first, and I am proud of Mauritius’ image as a model of living democracy in the world,” he added.
But the President’s office in a statement said “Her Excellency Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, having nothing to feel guilty about and able to provide corroborating evidence, rejects any idea of resigning.”
The opposition parties in Mauritius had signalled their intention to boycott the Independence anniversary celebrations if president was still in power.
Source: Africafeeds.com
