Mauritania's opposition Coalition of Salvation Forces has stepped up its criticism of the electricity sector, holding the government and the Mauritanian Electricity Company (Somelec) responsible for the sector's failures and the damage caused by repeated power cuts.
The coalition voiced its positions at a sit-in on Friday outside Somelec's headquarters in Nouakchott, part of a series of protests targeting public institutions that provide essential services.
Coalition leader Mohamed Lemine Ould Sidi Maouloud said the protest reflected the depth of public anger, adding that poor service had not only disrupted daily life but also hit the most vulnerable, including the sick, children and the elderly, and caused some people to lose medicines and property.
He also raised fires that have hit electrical installations, which he said caused significant financial losses, and criticised what he called a lack of accountability despite the creation of a commission of inquiry.
He criticised the welcome ceremonies that accompany some political events and presidential visits, urging people not to back officials he holds partly responsible for the decline in services, and called on citizens to express their rejection of the situation through legal and peaceful means.
The sit-in is part of a series of protests the coalition has announced outside public service institutions, to highlight failings in essential services and press for better performance and accountability.
