| Honorific Prefix: | The Honourable |
| Cassam Uteem, GCSK | |
| Order: | 2nd President of Mauritius |
| Primeminister: | Sir Anerood Jugnauth |
| Vicepresident: | Sir Rabindranath Ghurburrun Angidi Chettiar |
| Term Start: | 30 June 1992 |
| Term End: | 15 February 2002 |
| Predecessor: | Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo |
| Successor: | Angidi Chettiar (acting) |
| Birth Date: | 22 March 1941 |
| Birth Place: | Port Louis, British Mauritius |
| Spouse: | Zohra Jahangeer Uteem |
| Children: | Three |
Cassam Uteem, GCSK (born 22 March 1941, Port Louis)[1] is a Mauritian political figure who served as the second president of Mauritius from 30 June 1992 to 15 February 2002. He is the longest serving president of Mauritius.[2]
Cassam Uteem attended the secondary school Royal College Port Louis.[3] Then he travelled to France and studied at Paris VII University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in Art and a master's degree in Psychology. He also holds a Certificate in Social Work from the University of Mauritius and a "Diplôme d’État Français d’Assistant des services sociaux".[4]
In the 1800s Cassam Uteem's ancestors migrated from the historic city of Azamgarh's Village Dubawan, Uttar Pradesh in India.[5]
He married Zohra Jahangeer and they have 3 children: Reza Uteem, Dilshaad Uteem and Oomar Uteem. However, Oomar Uteem died in 2007. They also have 10 grandchildren.[6] [7] [8] [9]
In the 1960s, Cassam Uteem was a youth leader and social worker who was actively involved in the local community during colonial times that preceded the 1968 Independence of Mauritius. He became a leading member of leftist political party the Mauritian Militant Movement (MMM). In 1969 he was elected Councillor of the City of Port Louis at the Municipal Elections, a position in which he remained for several years before becoming city's Lord Mayor in 1986.[10]
Cassam Uteem was elected a member of the Mauritian Legislative Assembly in 1976. He was re-elected as a member of Parliament in 1982, 1983, 1987 and 1991. In 1982 and 1983, he held the portfolio of Minister of Employment, Social Security and National Solidarity. In 1990, he became Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Industrial Technology. When he formed part of the Opposition in Parliament he was “Opposition Whip” and Chairman of the “Public Accounts Committee.”[11]
Following the establishment of a republic on 12 March 1992, the last Governor-General, Sir Veerasamy Ringadoo, became the first President.[12] However, this was under an interim arrangement, and Cassam Uteem was nominated to serve as President for a five-year term with effect from 30 June of that year.
On 15 February 2002, he resigned from office, after refusing to sign a controversial anti-terrorism bill, namely PoTA,[13] into the constitution. His term would have ended in June 2002.[14] He was replaced as president by Angidi Chettiar.[15]
On 10 November 2014, Mr. Uteem was appointed United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy and Head of the United Nations Electoral Observation Mission in Burundi.[16]
In November 2014, Uteem was elected President of International Movement ATD Fourth World.[17]
Uteem was a candidate for the position of Chairperson of the African Union Commission in early 2008, but withdrew prior to the vote.[18]
Cassam Uteem is a Member of the Global Leadership Foundation, an organization which works to support democratic leadership, prevent and resolve conflict through mediation and promote good governance in the form of democratic institutions, open markets, human rights and the rule of law. It does so by making available, discreetly and in confidence, the experience of former leaders to today's national leaders. It is a not-for-profit organization composed of former heads of government, senior governmental and international organization officials who work closely with Heads of Government on governance-related issues of concern to them.
Uteem appeared in the John Pilger documentary Stealing a Nation, which is about the Chagos Archipelago sovereignty dispute.[19]
Mauritius