James Mancham

Sir James Richard Marie Mancham was a significant political leader from the Seychelles.

He served as the very first President of the Seychelles from 1976 to 1977. Mancham was born on August 11, 1939, into a wealthy family. His father, Richard Mancham, was a successful businessman. His mother was Evelyn Tirant. His heritage included Chinese ancestry from his father and French ancestry from his mother. He eventually traveled to England to study law.

As the Seychelles prepared for independence from Britain, Mancham took a major political step. He founded the Seychelles Democratic Party, often called the S.D.P. He served as the leader of this party for many decades, until February 2005. During his time as Chief Minister of the colony, he focused on growing the nation's economy. He specifically promoted tourism to the tropical islands. To make this possible, he arranged for the construction of an airport. This airport made the Seychelles accessible to travelers from the rest of the world.

Mancham's leadership helped the economy develop through increased visitor numbers. In 1976, the British government granted independence to the Seychelles. In that same year, Mancham won the popular vote. This victory allowed him to become the nation's first President. However, his presidency was very short. In June 1977, a coup d'état occurred in the country. A coup is when a group takes control of a government by force.

France-Albert René led this coup against Mancham. René had founded an opposition group called the Seychelles People's United Party, or S.P.U.P. This group had support from the Soviet Union. During the coup, René used revolutionaries trained in Tanzania and weapons supplied by Tanzania. At the exact time the coup happened, Mancham was away in London. He was attending the 1977 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Following his removal from power, Mancham lived in exile in London until April 1992.

During his years in exile, Mancham remained active in international business. He found success in several different business ventures. He also married Catherine Olsen, an Australian journalist who worked in London. In 1985, they had a son named Alexander. When the ban on opposition parties was lifted, Mancham returned to the Seychelles. He immediately began promoting tourism once again. He attempted to return to political office by running for president in July 1993. He finished in second place, receiving 36.72% of the vote behind René.

Mancham continued to participate in the democratic process for several years. From July 1993 to 1998, he served as the Leader of the Opposition. He ran for the presidency one more time in March 1998. In that election, he finished in third place with 13.8% of the vote. This race was led by René and Wavel Ramkalawan. Beyond politics, Mancham was a prolific author. He wrote several books about his experiences and his country. These included "Paradise Raped," which discussed the 1977 coup, and his autobiography, "Seychelles Global Citizen: The Autobiography of the Founding President."

His work earned him several international honors and awards. In 2010, he received the International Jurist Award in New Delhi, India. This award recognized his role in promoting world peace and settling international disputes. In 2011, he was also a recipient of the Gusi Peace Prize. He held the title of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. Mancham died suddenly on January 8, 2017, at the age of 77. He was buried in the State House cemetery.

He lies next to Jean-Baptiste Quéau de Quincy, the last French Administrator of the Seychelles.