Mauritania: Opposition Front Demands Sanctions against Ministers in Favor of Constitutional Change

Calls by some government ministers to change the constitution and allow the country’s President to run for elections in 2019 continue to stir condemnations as the leader of the opposition front has called government to sanction cabinet members who have expressed such a view.

Saleh Ould Hanana, leader of the FNDU (coalition of opposition political parties) on Wednesday vigorously lambasted government spokesperson Mohamed Lemine Ould Cheikh, Justice Minister Ould Daddah and Finance Minister Mokthar Ould Diay who late last month publicly called on Mauritanians and the Mauritanian parliament to allow a constitutional change that can enable President Ould Abdel Aziz to seek another presidential term after 2019 that marks the end of his current and last mandate.

For Hanana, these cabinet members have caused a prejudice to the constitution and should be punished for crimes they have committed.

Hanana has also imputed degradation of basic social services to the government and the regime which he accuses of corruption and grafts.

President Ould Abdel Aziz has not made any comment yet about his desire to seek a third mandate and had promised in January to quit power in 2019.