MAMOUDZOU, Dec 20 – French President Emmanuel Macron faced strong criticism from residents of Mayotte, who confronted him over the lack of clean water nearly a week after Cyclone Chido devastated the island. While visiting the Pamandzi neighborhood, Macron was shouted at by a man who accused the government of failing to provide essential aid.
“Seven days and you’re not able to give water to the population!” the man shouted, reflecting the frustration of many locals still struggling with the aftermath of the storm. Macron responded sharply, telling the crowd, “You are happy to be in France. If it wasn’t for France, you would be in way deeper shit, 10,000 times more.”
The president’s blunt comments were met with backlash from political figures in France. Sebastien Chenu of the far-right National Rally criticized Macron for failing to offer proper comfort to the people of Mayotte, while hard-left lawmaker Eric Coquerel called the remarks “completely undignified.”
Macron defended his comments, stating that some of the insults came from supporters of the National Rally, which had been fueling the narrative that France had neglected Mayotte. “We must be more efficient, but divisive, rabble-rousing speeches won’t help,” he said in response.
Authorities have confirmed at least 35 deaths from the cyclone, but fears persist that the toll could be much higher, especially in the most vulnerable neighborhoods. Rescue efforts are still struggling to reach informal settlements where many undocumented migrants live.
Macron extended his visit to Mayotte to assess the damage from what is described as the worst storm to hit the island in 90 years. Despite the challenges, the French government continues to allocate significant financial resources to the region, spending 1.6 billion euros annually on Mayotte.
Local frustrations, however, continue to grow, especially regarding the lack of clean drinking water and the slow pace of aid distribution. Many residents, including those in the Kaweni shantytown, voiced concerns that the French state had abandoned them in their time of need.
