THE President of High Transitional Authority of Madagascar, Mr Andry Rajoelina, arrived in the country on Monday afternoon for a working visit where he is also expected to hold talks with President Jakaya Kikwete.
Mr Rajoelina was received by his host Mr Kikwete at the Julius Nyerere International Airport in Dar es Salaam, who is also the Chairperson of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Troika on Politics, Defence and Security.
According to a statement issued by the Directorate of Presidential Communications, as the Chairperson of Troika, President Kikwete has been tasked with finding a lasting solution to the political impasse in the Indian Ocean Island by SADC member states.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold talks at State House today, on the political situation in Madagascar where President Kikwete is expected to brief Mr Rajoelina on the recent Troika summit held in Pretoria, South Africa.
During the meeting, Mr Rajoelina is also expected to brief Mr Kikwete on developments in Madagascar, especially on the preparations for presidential elections which have been facing a myriad of challenges. Rajoelina toppled President Marc Ravalomanana with the army's backing in March 2009.
The coup left the country in political limbo, as Mr Rajoelina failed to muster the domestic and foreign backing necessary to set up an internationally recognised transitional government. Over the past few years, several international attempts were made to broker an agreement between Mr Rajoelina and his opponents. Several election dates were mooted and subsequently postponed.
At a referendum held in November 2010, voters approved a new constitution that lowers the minimum age for the president, allowing Mr Rajoelina, 36 years old at the time, to run for the presidency.
In September 2011, at a further round of talks held with the aim of establishing a roadmap for returning the island to democracy, eight political parties agreed on a plan that leaves Mr Rajoelina in charge of a transitional authority until elections in July 2013. In November 2011, a unity government was formed with the reluctant cooperation of Madagascar's two main opposition groups.
Mr Rajoelina initially agreed with ex-president Ravalomanana not to stand for the presidency in 2013, but changed his mind after the former president's wife announced she would contest the election.
This raises questions about whether the election will be recognised internationally, as the exclusion of all the major players in the 2009 crisis was a condition of the SADC sponsorship of the transition back to constitutional rule. Born into a well-off family, Mr Rajoelina rose to prominence as a disc jockey, going on to own a radio station and advertising company. He set up the Determined Malagasy Youth opposition movement
Comments Post a comment
Madagascar: Conspiracy Involving France and SADC
President Kikwete met with President Hollande in Paris on 21 January 2013 to discuss the Madagascar crisis including the return of Marc Ravalomanana. President Hollande said that he and President Kikwete have "a complete convergence of views" with respect to the Madagascar crisis[1]. Then, on 23 January 2013, French ambassador Goldblatt announced French opposition to Marc Ravalomanana's return to Madagascar prior to elections[2]. The logic is that this was agreed upon by Presidents Kikwete and Hollande two days prior. France thus impeded full application of the SADC Roadmap because Article 20 says “The High Transition Authorities (HTA) shall allow all Malagasy citizens in exile for political reasons to return to the country unconditionally, including Mr Marc Ravalomanana.”
On 11 March, President Kikwete and Andry Rajoelina placed conditions on Lalao Ravalomanana’s return to Madagascar including that she not organize political rallies and saying that the length of her stay in her country was contingent on the health of her mother[3] thus violating her right to free speech and Article 20 of the SADC Roadmap.
The evening of 3 May, the day that Rajoelina’s candidacy was approved by the Special Electoral Court, he received a red-carpet reception[4] and photo-op session[5] with President Kikwete in Dar es Salaam.
The international community has announced upcoming sanctions against Malagasy people who impede the application of the SADC Roadmap[6], but there will not be sanctions for France and President Kikwete who have impeded the application of Article 20 of the SADC Roadmap. Instead the international community is calling for sanctions against Lalao Ravalomanana (France has already announced that sanctions are in effect[7]), saying her candidacy is illegal[8], because she was not in her country when she should have been because she was kicked out (on 27 July 2012[9]).
Marc Ravalomanana was blocked from returning to Madagascar on 3 July because “the Malagasy authorities, notably the current transitional president Andry Rajoelina, are still opposed to his return.”[10]
The international community is now threatening sanctions against Lalao Ravalomanana, her family, associates, and business partners unless she withdraws her candidacy by 31 July[11]. If she gives in to the threats against her, the international community will say that Lalao Ravalomanana withdrew voluntarily [12] similar to the way the international community insisted that Marc Ravalomanana “resigned” when he gave in to the threats that forced him from the presidency in the context of a coup d’état.
From the evidence above, it looks like France and SADC are involved in a conspiracy to prevent a Ravalomanana from being a candidate for president of Madagascar.
This is extortion (“if you don’t do what we want, we will do xxx to you and your family”). It is slander (saying Lalao Ravalomanana’s candidacy is illegal without presenting any evidence as to how her candidacy violates any law). It is despicable. It is counter to democracy. It will not help Madagascar get out of the crisis.
Elections will not be free and fair as long as the international community continues to threaten and slander a legitimate candidate.
1. http://www.malango-actualite.fr/article/tanzanie__france-rencontre_hollande _kikwete-9366.htm 2. http://www.tananews.com/phrases/le-retour-de-marc-ravalomanana-ne-devrait-p as-avoir-lieu-avant-les-elections/ 3. http://www.madagate.com/politique-madagascar/dossier/3220-lalao-ravalomanan a-tel-mari-telle-epouse-a-la-maniere-de-dakar-i-et-ii.html 4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjSL8D5YJfU 5. http://www.madagate.com/politique-madagascar/dossier/3227-dar-es-salaam-and ry-rajoelina-recu-par-jakaya-kikwete.html 6. http://africanbrains.net/2013/07/01/7th-meeting-of-the-international-contac t-group-on-madagascar/ 7. http://www.voanews.com/content/france-will-not-recognize-madagascar-candida tes/1678686.html 8. http://africanbrains.net/2013/07/01/7th-meeting-of-the-international-contac t-group-on-madagascar/ 9. http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2012/af/204137.htm 10. http://www.rfi.fr/afrique/20130703-madagascar-presidentielle-ravalomanana-r etour-pays 11. http://www.jeuneafrique.com/actu/20130713T163340Z20130713T163309Z/madagasca r-le-mediateur-donne-jusqu-a-la-fin-de-mois-aux-candidats-controverses.html 12. http://www.tananews.com/asides/communique-plan-en-sept-points-pour-sortir-l e-processus-electoral-a-madagascar-de-limpasse/