Roshi Bhadain Defends His Time at PMO: 'I Did It for My Country'

Reform Party leader Roshi Bhadain used the party's latest congress to address one of the most contested chapters of his political career — his time working within the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Mauritius. Speaking to supporters and delegates, Bhadain defended his presence at the PMO with a statement that drew significant attention: "Mo finn fer sa pou mo pei" — Creole for "I did it for my country." The remark is loaded with political significance. Bhadain, a former minister and ex-ally of the Lepep coalition government led by Sir Anerood Jugnauth, has faced repeated questions about his role and decisions during his time in government, particularly his proximity to the highest levels of executive power. **Who is Roshi Bhadain?** Roshi Bhadain served as Minister of Financial Services, Good Governance and Institutional Reforms between 2014 and 2017, when the Lepep alliance — a coalition of the MSM (Militant Socialist Movement) and the PMSD (Mauritius Social Democratic Party) — was in power. He later broke from the coalition and founded the Reform Party, positioning himself as a whistleblower and anti-corruption advocate. His tenure in government was marked by high-profile anti-corruption operations, but also by controversies that have followed him into opposition politics. **The PMO question** The Prime Minister's Office in Mauritius is not merely an administrative hub — it oversees a range of sensitive portfolios including internal security, national intelligence and strategic policy. A minister or advisor's presence at the PMO therefore carries particular political weight, which is why Bhadain's time there has remained a talking point for critics and supporters alike. At the congress, Bhadain appeared to be pre-empting or responding to criticism regarding that period, framing his involvement as a selfless act in the national interest rather than one of political opportunism. **The Reform Party's position today** The Reform Party remains one of Mauritius's smaller opposition formations. Its congresses serve both as internal party-building exercises and as public-facing platforms for Bhadain to reinforce his political narrative — particularly his image as a reformist outsider willing to take on entrenched power. With Mauritian politics in flux following the November 2024 general elections, which saw a change of government, the Reform Party is working to carve out a distinct identity in a crowded opposition landscape. **What this means** Bhadain's remarks at the congress suggest he is actively working to reframe his personal political history ahead of what could be a period of repositioning for the Reform Party. By invoking patriotism as his core motivation, he is addressing voter scepticism about politicians who have served within the very establishment they now criticise. Whether that argument gains traction will depend largely on what further scrutiny of his PMO role reveals in the months ahead. Source: Le Defi Media