Islamic Cultural Centre: MP Ehsan Juman Calls for Chairman's Resignation

The crisis at the Islamic Cultural Centre (ICC) concerning the organization of Hajj 2025 continues to escalate. Despite the release of an investigation report and the suspension of three employees, the controversy now centers around the retention of the Board. The situation worsened last Friday when Labour MP Ehsan Juman from constituency No. 3 demanded the resignation of the ICC Chairman, Shamad Ayoob Saab. "Chairman ICC must step down. Enough is enough," the parliamentarian wrote on his Facebook page.

This public statement is seen by many observers as a direct response to a press conference recently held by Shamad Ayoob Saab, flanked by Board members and some employees, which was deemed a "settling of scores" and not befitting a public institution.

During this media appearance, the ICC Chairman claimed that MP Juman had insisted that "the five pilgrims who took turns with others" be allowed to perform Hajj.

Heated Exchanges at Camp Yoloff

The matter took a more personal turn last Sunday at Camp Yoloff, Plaine-Verte, during a reception where there was an altercation between Ehsan Juman and Minister Shakeel Mohamed. According to witnesses, the minister, who is also responsible for the Hajj dossier, confronted the MP about the editorial line of his newspaper, the Sunday Times, which was deemed too critical of the pilgrimage management. The discussion quickly escalated.

Tensions rose when MP Juman accused the minister of "not being up to the task" of his mission. It took the intervention of the organizers to calm the situation. Despite his fervent call for action, it seems unlikely that Ehsan Juman will achieve the immediate resignation of the Chairman. Reports suggest that Shamad Ayoob Saab is scheduled to accompany Shakeel Mohamed to Saudi Arabia in early November as part of the Hajj Mission 2025.

However, behind the scenes, indications suggest that his days at the helm of the ICC are numbered. His successor is reportedly already designated: Abdus Saboor Mohamed Saleh, a former executive of Mauritius Telecom, is expected to join the ICC Board soon to take over the presidency.