Victory for Movement to Protect Mauritians from Arbitrary Stripping of their Citizenship
02.09.2026
JOINT PRESS COMMUNIQUE OF LALIT AND MUVMAN LIBERASYON FAM
It passed without much comment on the part of most political parties or in the Press, and understandably so, that there was a very important amendment in the “omnibus” law that was passed alongside the Finance Act.
Hidden in “The Economic and Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2026” and not really fitting under that heading at all, there was a change to the repressive Citizenship Act of 2022. Too many other important things like pensions were being changed at the same time for emphasis to be put on this change. We in LALIT and the Muvman Liberasyon Fam want to draw attention to the amendment now, not only because it is important, but also because it is a victory for human freedom and deserves celebration as such. We live in times of few victories in the struggle for freedom, so it is important to mark the victory and to be able to defend it if necessary in the future.
The Citizenship Act has just been amended so as to strip the excessive power of any Prime Minister or Interior Minister to literally “cancel” a Mauritian’s citizenship and expel them, unilaterally and arbitrarily in the future. This means the freedom of Mauritians to marry and live with their family in security that was threatened by the 2022 law has once again been protected by the new law. We have not won any new freedom, but have rather restored an older freedom attacked four years ago.
People will remember that the Pravind Jugnauth government in July 2022 amended the Mauritius Citizenship Act to allow the Prime Minister as Interior Minister to unilaterally and “in his absolute discretion” to “deprive any person of his citizenship of Mauritius” and to do so “without giving any reason”. At once, in 2022, both the Muvman Liberasyon Fam and LALIT denounced this amendment. We considered it yet another concentration of power in the hands of an already too powerful executive, and an attack on ordinary human freedom to marry the person you wish to, and to live together and form a family.
The official Opposition at the time, the Labour Party and the MMM, both took firm stands in Parliament against the Jugnauth amendment, but it passed any way.
Then, 12 women signed a call to oppose the new law. They included former Ministers and MPs, and well known figures in different walks of life. They were Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra, Sheila Bappoo, Marousia Bouvery, Stivelle Castel, Lindsey Collen, Pouba Essoo, Ragini Kistnasamy, Rajni Lallah, Vidula Nababsing, Arianne Navarre-Marie, Jane Ragoo and Emilie Wiehe.
This was how a member of both LALIT and the Muvman Liberasyon Fam, the undersigned organizations, Lindsey Collen, being herself directly affected, took on the work of putting in a Constitutional challenge before the Supreme Court. Her action was in favour of all those families potentially affected by this law. Three lawyers acted pro bono. Their names, too, should be remembered for the stand they took and the work they did: Barristers Antoine Domingue SC and Jean-Claude Bibi, and Attorney Ayesha Jeewa, SC. They made the legal challenge possible. They outlined the philosophy and unconstitutionality of the issues for the Supreme Court.
Then, 20 Organizations and over 100 individuals signed a Common Declaration against the repressive section of this law affecting spouses of Mauritians, who had become Mauritian by marriage and then naturalization or registration.
These are amongst the organizations and people who stood up to be counted. They, together, helped towards the victory we have all just won:
Organizations that signed:
Haniff Peerun for All Workers’ Federation/Mauritius Labour Congress, Jane Ragoo for Confederation des Travailleurs des Secteurs Publique et Privé, Rajni Lallah for Muvman Liberasyon Fam, Alain Ah Vee for LALIT, Annette Treebhoobun for PILS, Anushka Virahsawmy for Gender Links, Atma Shanto for Federation des Travailleurs Unis, Clency Bibi for General Workers Federation, Jocelin Louis for Rodrigues Private Industries and Allied Workers union, Judex Rampaul for Sindika Peser, Julienne Meunier for Rodrigues Government Employees Association, M. I. Amiran for Government Services Employees Association, Marie Antoinette Casimir for Rodrigues Workers Federation, Munsoo Kurrimbaccus for Union of Private Secondary Education Employees, Norman Tambanivoul for Dr Idrice Goomany Centre, Patrick Freyneau for Secondary and Preparatory School Teachers and other Staff union, Rada Kistnasamy for Ledikasyon Pu Travayer, Rajshree Thylamay for All Worker Trade unions Federation, Randheer Kumar Bundoo for Confederation of General Trade unions, Russid Golamaully for Senior and other Nursing Staff union, Sanjeeva Nastilly for Telecom Workers union.
Individuals that signed
Cassam Uteem Former President of the Republic, Aanas Ruhomaully, Adlutchmee Jumnoodoo, Alain Fanchon writer, Ambiga Carpanen, Ananda Devi writer, Ange Laval Yves, Annabelle Lauricourt, Anne-Marie Joly, Audrey Albert, Axelle Julie, Barlen Pyamootoo, writer, Benita Auckloo, Benjamin Koonja, Bernadette Cheung Haw Sing, Beverley Appave, Baby Madou, Carl de Souza, writer, Christabelle Gray, Christèle Rene, Christiane Marie Michèle Latreille, Corine Fozou, Delphine Ahnee, Denis Michael Larhubarbe, Desirella Lebon, Dini Lallah, Dolly Antoine, Dumyuntee Kureemun,Elsa Wiehe, Emilie Wiehe, Emmanuel Richon, Franco Onno, Francois Julio Antonio, Gaetan Fevrier, Gary Homet, Gavin Poonoosamy, Harley Juste, Harold Perrine, Hema Calcutteea, Hooben Toussaint, Iqbal Abdool Rahman, Jean Daniel Wong activist, Jean Doolub, Jean Eric Pascal Kamudu, Jean Guilliano Gray, Jean M Lahire, Jean-Yves Dick, Joel Nickel Lamoureux, Johnny Christ Nagamah, Joseph Duval, Judith Sabine, Kim Richards Lallah, Kimsy Foolchand, Krishna Topsy, Linda Prayag, Louis Ange Brutus, Lovania Pertab, Luc Ashley Nibert, Mahboob Allybokus, Maria Desirella Sofia Azor-Ramchurn, Marie Anouchka Cindy Clelie, Marie Arianne Navarre-Marie MP and former Minister of Women’s Rights, Marie Danièle Le Merle, Marie Marlene Joseph, Marie Merline François, Marie Therese Joceline Minerve former MP and Minister for Social Security, Mariline Gray, Martine Desmarais, Melany Amboule, Mimose Bendaou, Nadia Peerun Activist, Nanda Yagambrum, Nawsheen Raheemeea, Neerdesh Oozageer educator, Nemita Daniel, Nirmala Toussaint, Nitish Joganah artist engagé, Pamela Arnold, Pascal Ambroise, Patricia Day-Hookoomsing, Paulineta Onno, Philippe Malabar, Pierre Makair, Pouba Essoo, Preeta Chadee, Priya Hein writer, Ragini Kistnasamy, Raj Julha, Rajendra K. Juggiah, Rama Poonoosamy former Minister of Arts and Culture, Ricaud Gray, Roland Fozoo, Roma Gokool, Samantha Lajeune, Satyavani Ramen, Sazia Begum Khodabacksh, Serge Labiche, Shabeela Monasch, Sheila Bappoo Former Minister of Women’s Rights, of Labour and of Social Security, Sheila Bunwaree, Shenaz Patel writer, Shirin Aumeeruddy-Cziffra former Attorney-General and Minister of Women's Rights, Shyam Gokool, Shynee Seegobin, Solange Huang, Soufia Bham, Stivelle Castel, Sultana Begum Budulla-Moullan, Surekha Duval, Tania Haberland Poet, Usha Rungoo, Vidula Nabasbsing former MP, Willelmine Vellin, Yaaser Abdool Rahman.
Mobilization at the Court
There were, in all, fourteen Court appearances over the course of the next three years. Every single time, there was mobilization in the Supreme Court, sometimes 20 people came in solidarity, sometimes 40, all brightly dressed amongst the black-and-white clad lawyers. Every time, there was a point-de-presse, too. Gradually all the Mauritian families potentially affected, that could amount to hundreds of thousands of people, came to know about the repressive law.
In 2025, after the coming to power 60-0 of the Labour-MMM-ND-RA alliance, the Attorney General’s representative announced in the Supreme Court that the new Government intended to change the law so as to remove the offending clauses. On this formal assurance, Lindsey Collen withdrew her case. Since then, she has written letters to the Attorney General, and the MLF and LALIT have continued to campaign for the law to be changed.
Finally, the Attorney General and Prime Minister Ramgoolam have respected their assurance in Court and their pre-election pledge to change the law, and have changed it.
So, this has been a political victory with a legal component of a “constitutional” issue that affects human freedom. A political victory like this is better, in general, than a legal one, for the simple reason that political victories come through democratic processes that are enacted by elected people, and in many cases including this one, under popular democratic pressure.
This Press Communiqué stands as homage to everyone who helped in this victory. It is a reminder that existing rights and freedoms, won by past struggles, have to be protected constantly by our actions, even as we fight for more freedoms and more rights.
For those who have family and friends directly affected, the amendment reads as follows:
Extract from THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL MEASURES (MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS) ACT 2026 12 Aug 2026
35. The Mauritius Citizenship Act is amended –
(a) in section 7, in subsection (3), by deleting the words “in his absolute discretion and without giving any reason”;
(b) in section 11, by repealing subsection (8) [which said: “Notwithstanding subsections (5), (6) and (7), the Minister may, in his absolute discretion and without giving any reason, deprive any person of his citizenship of Mauritius, if he has reliable information and is satisfied that it is in the interest of defence, public safety or public order.”]
Rajni Lallah, for the Muvman Liberasyon Fam
Cindy Clelie, for LALIT
31 August 2026
