The leader of the Seychelles National Party (SNP) – Wavel Ramkalawan – has declared that if he is elected the next President of Seychelles he will honour the former and first president of the country – James Mancham, as the father of the Seychellois nation. Ramkalwan made the declaration while addressing the largest crowd assembled for a political rally this year in Freedom Square.
The new leader of the DP, Paul Chow, has welcomed the declaration as a long overdue recognition of Mancham, who led our country to independence 30 years ago in a spirit of harmony, respect for the rule of law and democratic principles. “Mancham, has the unique distinction of being named in the Constitution that came into force at Independence Day as the first President of our Republic”, Chow said. “It is incredible that SPPF propaganda has tried to bury this fact.”
The Constitution itself was the product of two weeks of negotiations at Marlborough House in Westminster, London between the Seychelles Democratic Party (SDP) – led by Mancham; the Seychelles People’s United Party (SPUP) – led by Albert Rene and the British Government. In the general election in 1974that gave rise to the constitutional commission, the Seychelles Democratic Party won 13 out of the 15 seats being contested with 53% of the votes.
The constitutional commission also agreed that the first government would be a coalition between the SDP and SPUP – the two political parties at the time with representation in the National Assembly. The leader of SPUP, France Albert Rene, was named Prime Minister by Mancham in respect to the terms of the coalition agreement.
