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Antananarivo (Agenzia Fides) – Marc Ravalomanana, from his location in Tripoli (Lybia), has appointed a new Prime Minister, Manandafy Rakotonirina, in charge of forming a “consensus government open to all the forces of the Nation.” Flanked by uniformed officials, Manandafy Rakotonirina was presented yesterday, April 16, to Ravalomanana supporters, who have been gathering for weeks in Ambohijatovo, a park in Antananarivo.
The new Prime Minister, who Ravalomanana calls “legal,” has launched an appeal to the international community and the economic workers in the country, to meet with him as soon as possible.
On March 17, in the face of protests organized by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina, and the partial revolt of the army, Ravalomanana was forced to cede power to a military directive team, that just hours later ceded power to Rajoelina. He has now become the President of the High Transitional Authority (NDT), which hopes to reform electoral law and the Constitution prior to elections in 2010.
On April 10, Ravalomanana issued a statement from Tripoli in which he nullifies the transfer of power to the military, affirming that “the President has not formally resigned and thus remains the legitimately elected Head of State.” In the document, he affirms that the government was dissolved and that, therefore, a new government should be appointed. Ravalomanana confirmed his imminent return to Madagascar, with the support of the SADC (Southern African Development Community) and the African Union.
The political crisis in Madagascar has thus become more complicated, as there are now two Prime Ministers and two Presidents vying for power: Monja Roindefo with Andry Rajoelina and Manandafy Rakotonirina with Marc Ravalomanana.
Rakontonirina has announced that he will travel to Vancouver (Canada) in May, as Vice-President of Liberal International, and has insisted that he is now the Head of National Defense. He has asked the Armed Forces to obey his orders and has announced the creation of a Constituent Assembly, in addition to the re-opening of the National Assembly and the Senate whose suspension (declared by Rajoelina) has hot been approved by the High Court of Justice. (LM) (Agenzia Fides 17/4/2009)
