A campaign tour conducted by the National Rally of Independents (RNI), a party within Morocco's ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch on Saturday, September 19, along the northern coast of Agadir, ended in heightened tension at Aourir. Accompanying him were Secretary of State for Maritime Fisheries, Zakia Driouich, and Karim Achengli, the president of the Souss-Massa regional council. The tour included earlier stops at Taghazout and Tamri. Eyewitness reports indicated that several residents approached the delegation during the procession, resulting in heated exchanges and a crowd movement that was difficult for the officials' entourage to manage. However, there remains no conclusive information regarding the number of individuals involved, the precise origin of the altercation, or any possible intervention by law enforcement.
Public reports available by late Saturday confirmed Akhannouch's presence in Taghazout and his visit to Tamri, accompanied by local candidates, elected officials, and RNI leaders. These publications highlighted interactions with the locals and the presentation of the party's candidates, with no mention of any confrontation occurring in Aourir. The campaign tour adhered to the RNI's chosen format during the legislative campaign, which emphasizes presence in both urban and rural centers, engagement with merchants and residents, and support for local candidates. Just two days prior, in Ouled Teïma, located in the Taroudant province, Akhannouch urged his supporters to continue their efforts and to disregard any disruptions, asserting that his party presided over nearly half of the municipalities in the province.
This conclusion of the campaign coincides with public disagreements within the RNI in the Agadir region. Abdelghani Bouaïchi, the vice president of the municipal council responsible for environmental matters, publicly announced his departure from the party and criticized the management of the local organization. Reports from August also noted the absence of several municipal presidents and elected officials from Agadir Ida-Outanane at a meeting convened around Akhannouch, amidst disputes regarding nominations. These grievances are acknowledged by the parties involved, yet have not prompted a detailed public response from the national leadership regarding each alleged issue.
The RNI approaches the upcoming elections under different circumstances compared to 2021. During its extraordinary national congress in El Jadida on February 7, Mohamed Chaouki was elected as the new party president, securing 1,910 valid votes, replacing Akhannouch, who remains the head of the government and a member of the political bureau. In the Souss-Massa region, Driouich is leading the party's regional list.
Aourir also grapples with significant administrative challenges. The General Inspection of Territorial Administration (IGAT), a control body within the Ministry of Interior, conducted an inspection in 2023 focusing on urban planning, which highlighted issues related to building permits and connections to water and electricity networks. Following the initial rejection of a request to revoke the municipal council president, the Marrakech administrative appeals court ordered his dismissal along with two of his deputies on May 28, 2024. The Court of Cassation subsequently dismissed their appeal on May 8, 2025.
Infrastructure issues remain prevalent in municipal documents. As of April 2026, the municipality indicated that the Bekdi neighborhood was the only area of Aourir not connected to the potable water network and announced its inclusion in future restructuring projects. Other operations have focused on sanitation, irrigation, public domain occupation, and access development.
The election for the 395 seats in the House of Representatives is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, just four days after Akhannouch's visit to northern Agadir, with the electoral campaign set to conclude on Tuesday, September 22, at midnight. As of Saturday evening, neither the RNI nor the local authorities had issued a statement regarding the reported incidents in Aourir.
As reported by barlamane.com.
