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| Africa North |
| Dismissal of Marrakech wali causes political stir in Morocco |
| 2009-07-27 |
| [Maghrebia] After conducting an investigation into how the constituency of Menara handled its recent communal elections, Morocco's interior ministry dismissed Mounir Chraibi as the wali (chief) for the Marrakech-Tensift-El Haouz region. The ministry on Tuesday (July 21st) explained that its central committee "found great dysfunctions" in the wilaya's administrative services and thus decided to "relieve Mounir Chraibi of his duties". The issue began when a complaint of voting irregularities filed by a candidate from the Democratic Forces Front (FFD) led the Administrative Court to invalidate the results of the June 12th communal elections in the Menara district, thereby cancelling Fatima Zahra Mansouri's elections as Marrakech mayor. On July 15th, Marrakech Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) officials observed a 48-hour strike to protest the decision. According to Mansouri, Mounir Chraibi asked her to delegate strategic responsibilities -- including housing - to city officials. The wali also reportedly asked that Mansouri allow him to take over some of the most important duties in the "ochre city". "I couldn't agree to that," she told reporters. "I think he was too insistent, especially with regard to the delegation of powers," she said. PAM claimed to have evidence that city affairs had been mismanaged. The party blamed the wali for the decision to hold a rerun of the elections. That PAM allegations and Mansouri's remarks prompted the interior ministry to relieve the wali of his duties came as a surprise to both politicians and the public. After the year-old party swept the communal elections last month, several members of established parties voiced scepticism as to whether the political upstart would actually be able to exert any power. Now, in the wake of the wali's removal, it appears to Justice and Development Party deputy chief Lahcen Daoudi that "there are some lucky people who get their way". "You get the impression that the PAM lays down the law -- or at least that's the message that is conveyed by this very swift decision," he said. Popular Movement MP Fatima Moustaghfir agreed that the action "taken in record time" last week by the interior ministry "reflects the clout that the PAM now has in the political arena". Moreover, she explained, the step came at a time when many other complaints lodged against walis and governors were getting nowhere. "I myself have filed complaints against certain walis and governors. Education and diplomas are not enough for these high-up civil servants in the interior ministry. They need to study politics," she said. Moutaghfir pointed out, however, that PAM "got its way" thanks to its protests and the evidence supporting its claims. Regarding the speed with which the ministry acted, she told Magharebia that this is precisely how all such affairs should be handled. "The interior ministry should keep a closer eye on walis," she concluded. |
| Posted by:Fred |