Morocco’s Speaker of the Lower House, Rachid Talbi Alami, has reported Member of Parliament (MP) Rim Chabat, a representative of the Democratic Forces Party, to the Parliament’s Ethics Committee for “violating the provisions of the Constitution,” following her controversial remarks during a parliamentary session on Monday, according to local media.
During the monthly plenary session on Monday, which focused on the tourism sector, Chabat sharply criticized Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and Minister of Tourism Fatim-Zahra Ammor over economic and tourism-related challenges in the Fes-Meknes region. She particularly highlighted the deterioration of urban bus transport, questioning the city’s ability to accommodate tourists under such conditions.
Her remarks prompted an immediate response from the Speaker of the House, who called her to order, citing violations of Articles 135 and 141 of the Constitution. Alami argued that Chabat exceeded her mandate by questioning the Head of Government on a matter that falls under local government jurisdiction rather than the executive branch. As a result, of the supposed violations Talbi Alami referred her case to the Ethics Committee for further review.
The controversy surrounding public transport was further underscored the following day when Interior Minister Abdelouafi Laftit echoed the issue before the Upper House. He acknowledged the significant challenges facing public transport networks, particularly urban bus services in several cities across Morocco.
Laftit underscored the government’s commitment to an ambitious 2025-2029 urban transport renewal program, which is poised to invest MAD 11 billion and benefit 37 local authorities nationwide. The plan includes acquiring 3,746 new buses and introducing a modernized management model, where the state will handle vehicle procurement and maintenance while private companies oversee operations.
Additionally, a digital monitoring system will be implemented to ensure efficient contract management and improved service quality.
As part of the initiative, tenders have already been launched for the cities of Fes, Marrakech, Tangier, Tetouan, Agadir, and Benslimane, covering the procurement of 1,317 buses. Most of these vehicles are expected to be operational by the end of the year, with the bid submission deadline set for March 15.