Afrinic Board Election Halted Amid Controversies

The African Network Information Centre (Afrinic), responsible for managing IP addresses in Africa, is facing yet another disruption in its ongoing board election process. Following an online voting phase, members were given the opportunity to cast their votes in person at a hotel located in Ebène City, Mauritius. However, the election was interrupted due to the necessity of verifying a significant number of proxies submitted by the voters.

Simon Davenport, chair of the nomination committee, stated during the live broadcast of the election that the verification process would need to be completed before resuming the election activities. This pause also affects the electronic voting system, leaving the future of the online voting timeline uncertain.

Concerns arose when it was revealed that several attendees submitted multiple proxies to cast votes on behalf of Afrinic members. Archived footage from the election day indicated that an individual was seen submitting over 50 ballots at once. The nomination committee now faces the task of determining whether this practice contradicts Afrinic's election regulations, which allow a member to represent only up to five others.

Additionally, there have been reports suggesting that some proxies may have been issued using outdated forms, which do not comply with the current election requirements. In response to worries about potential manipulation of the voting process, a nomination committee composed solely of British lawyers was established under Davenport's leadership.

The anticipation now grows regarding the committee's findings related to the submitted proxies. After experiencing over two years without a governing board and operating under a court-appointed administrator, Afrinic had hoped that this election would restore stability to the organization.

During a protracted legal dispute with companies Cloud Innovation and Larus, Afrinic gradually lost its operational capacity. The administrator of the organization drew criticism after it was revealed that Cloud Innovation had been mistakenly listed as a partner and member in Afrinic's business registry, a record that has since been retracted as an error.

As the situation unfolds, stakeholders remain hopeful that a resolution will be reached, allowing Afrinic to regain its footing and governance.