Mauritania's El Messar party has called for an independent, transparent investigation into two recent fires at Nouakchott power plants, urging accountability and legal action as the incidents caused major blackouts and economic disruption.
The Mauritanian political party El Messar has called for the creation of an independent, transparent, and impartial commission to investigate the two recent fires that struck power plants in Nouakchott. The party insists that the commission should be composed of individuals with no current or past ties to the affected institution or the matters under investigation. El Messar further urged that the findings be made public, responsibilities clearly established, and legal sanctions applied to any individuals found culpable.
In a statement released on Friday, El Messar highlighted the significant impact of the consecutive fires, which led to widespread power outages across Nouakchott. The disruptions affected citizens, families, and businesses, with particular consequences for food preservation, medicine storage, and sectors reliant on electricity, telecommunications, and internet connectivity.
Political Response and Solidarity
The party expressed solidarity with those affected by the outages and welcomed President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani's visit to the damaged power plants. El Messar also acknowledged the president's directives to address the crisis and the government's decision to establish a commission to investigate the incidents.
El Messar argued that the events were not merely technical failures, but indicative of deeper systemic issues. The party called for a review of crisis management programmes and the development of medium- and long-term plans to secure essential services.
Broader Implications for State Capacity
According to El Messar, the crisis exposed vulnerabilities in Mauritania's ability to manage essential services independently, as authorities reportedly sought assistance from neighbouring countries to restore power. The party stressed the need to strengthen national capacity to handle such emergencies without external reliance.
El Messar urged authorities to draw lessons from the electricity crisis by examining weaknesses in other essential services, including water and sanitation. The party advocated for improved planning, management, and skills development to ensure reliable public services for Nouakchott's residents.
This call for transparency and accountability echoes broader demands for institutional reform in Mauritania, as seen in other recent developments such as the Ministry of Health's commitment to merit-based and transparent doctor transfers, which was detailed in a related report (see coverage of health sector transparency measures).
