PRIME MINISTER Kassim Majaliwa has joined leaders from India, China, Mauritius and Comoros at the swearing-in ceremony of the President of the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Patrick Herminie, held at the Umoja Stadium in Victoria.
The Prime Minister, who represented the President, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, was among the senior leaders including Vice Presidents, Prime Ministers and senior leaders from friendly political parties.
President Herminie was sworn in on October 26, 2025 as the country’s sixth President.
The leaders are the Vice President of India, Mr. Chandrapuram Ponnusamy Radhakrishnan; the Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr. Navinchandra Ramgoolam; the Vice President of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) Mr. Gao Yunlong; and the President of the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Commission who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Comoros, Mr. Mohamed Mbae.
The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr. Cosato Chumi, the Tanzanian Ambassador to Kenya representing the Republic of Seychelles, Dr. Bernard Kibesse and senior government officials.
President Herminie’s victory has eliminated the incumbent Linyon Demokratik Seselwa (LDS) party which won the 2020 elections.
President Herminie, who this year contested for the presidency through the United Seychelles (US) Party, was sworn in yesterday after securing 52.7 percent of the votes cast and defeating his opponent, Mr. Wavel Ramkalawan of the LDS party who secured 47.3 percent of the total votes in the second round of the elections held on October 11, 2025.
In the first round held on September 27, this year no presidential candidate exceeded 50 percent of the total votes among the six presidential candidates.
During the ceremonies, President Dr. Herminie first took the oath of allegiance to the people at 12.35 pm and then took the presidential oath at 12.37 pm and signed the documents before the country’s Chief Justice, Rony Govinden.
Addressing the Nation immediately after being sworn in, President Dr. Herminie said he accepts the pledge given to him by the people of Seychelles because he recognizes the great responsibility that comes from their party’s manifesto which states: “For the many, not the few”.
The President used the opportunity to warn his citizens not to expect that everything will be done in one day.
“I am speaking seriously that not everything can be done in a day. But from today we will start work, we will prioritize all the important issues that affect the lives of the people and on that basis, my Government has launched the “First 100 Days – Social Contract with the People of Seychelles”.
In his speech that lasted for 17 minutes, President Dr. Herminie asked the international community to join the country in building friendship and solidarity.
“We want to cooperate, grow together, do business on an equal footing, we welcome investment and knowledge exchange that will benefit both parties”, he stressed.
President Herminie also stressed that his Government will seriously take the issue of youth and not just talk about it on platforms.
“You young people do not have to wait for future opportunities, you are here in our midst, you are the leaders of tomorrow. I urge the youth of Seychelles to focus on innovation, science, technology and the mind if you do not want to be left behind in this fast-paced world.
We will build our country together and we will not let your talents go to waste or your dreams fly away leaving our country empty,” he stressed.
Dr. Herminie served as Speaker of the Seychelles Parliament from 2007 to 2016 and before that, she was the head of government affairs in Parliament from 1998 to 2003.
Before leaving the stadium, President Dr. Herminie witnessed various songs, poems and a fireworks display that lasted for more than 5 minutes.
