Corruption Allegations Lead to Council Meeting Postponement
In a surprising turn of events, the scheduled ordinary session of the Tissalant municipal council, initially set for the morning of Thursday, May 12, has been postponed indefinitely. Local sources indicate that this postponement is a direct consequence of the suspension of eight council members, including the deputy president, Abdelaziz Driouch, who is affiliated with the PAM party. This suspension arises from a damning report issued by the General Inspectorate of Territorial Administration, detailing numerous irregularities that have led to a failure to achieve a legal quorum for the council meeting.
According to the same sources, the Wali of the Marrakech-Safi region has taken decisive action by suspending the implicated members pending investigations into various management and urban planning discrepancies currently under administrative and judicial review. The council was expected to deliberate on two critical points, namely the ratification of a partnership agreement aimed at enhancing infrastructure and basic networks, as well as programming the actual surplus for the 2025 fiscal year.
Serious Irregularities Uncovered
The Tissalant municipality, which serves as the electoral stronghold of Minister and Mayor Fatima Zahra Mansouri, has been thrust into the spotlight due to the revelations from the aforementioned report. This report highlights significant administrative mismanagement related to urban planning, taxation, and the management of public property within the municipality. Inspection committees have documented serious violations that include the issuance of 144 permits for housing developments lacking essential infrastructure and sewage networks, alongside 114 projects that received permits without being connected to potable water systems, relying instead on unregulated wells.
Additionally, the report points out unjustifiable tax exemptions granted to real estate companies and a failure to account for undeveloped land from 2021 to 2025. There are also alarming instances of unauthorized developments, including the approval of projects on properties designated for villas and alterations to watercourse paths for a project comprising 153 villas. The misuse of repair permits to regularize illegal constructions and the issuance of economic licenses within non-compliant buildings were also noted.
Furthermore, the inspectorate identified conflicts of interest through the distribution of equipment to associations overseen by elected officials and issued 17 permits for the occupation of state property without clear legal backing, resulting in significant financial losses for the municipality. In light of these findings, the Wali of Marrakech-Safi has decided to suspend the eight council members involved. This decision coincides with the scheduled commencement of the trial for former council president Abdelaziz Driouch on charges brought forth by the Ministry of Interior.
As reported by achkayen.com.
