President Ravalomanana's political party, Tiako i Madagasikara [1] (TIM), won a landslide victory in Madagascar this Sunday, capturing 106 out of the 127 available seats [2] despite a meager turnout: 19.42% in Antananarivo, Madagascar's capital.
President Ravalomana called for the early elections after dissolving the National Assembly on the grounds it no longer reflected the results of the April referendum that approved President Ravalomanana's new Madagascar Action Plan [3] (MAP), an ambitious strategic road map that aims to lift Madagascar out of poverty.
Although the polls were conducted peacefully, Jentilisa [4], a blogger who not only witnessed firsthand the dismally low turnout, but also helped count ballots, is concerned irregularities have marred this election.
Jentilisa writes that many ballot certifications were signed before the ballot counts were even in. Election officials left election offices early and did not supervise the transfer of ballot certifications to the Ministry of Interior and the High Constitutional Court, increasing the risk the certifications could be altered.
Fitokisana an-jambany fotsiny noho izany raha mahita ny isa eo amin’ny tabilao dia lasa mody nefa ny taratasy alefa any amin’ny Fitsarana avo momba ny lalam-panorenana sy ny minisiteran’ny atitany mety ho hafa mihitsy. Eo izany no fiarovana ny safidy nataon’ny tsirairay voalohany indrindra. Miainga eo amin’ny biraom-pifidianana ihany.
Election officials base their certifications on blind trust only because of their early departure, when certifications being sent to the High Constitutional Court and the Ministry of Interior may contain altogether completely different results. They should protect citizens’ votes at this first hand-off.
Etsy ankilan’izany, ireo izay nifidy raha tsy manaraka ny isam-bato sy izay soratan’ireo delege sy mpanisa vato ary mpanara-maso ny fifidianana dia tsy mahatsapa ny andraikiny fa tsy mijanona eo amin’ny fandrotsaham-bato akory ity fifidianana nataonao tamin’iny andro iny. Amiko ny tsy fanarahan’ireo nandrotsa-bato ny valim-pifidianana ao amin’ny birao nifidianany dia tahaka ny fanekena avy hatrany izay soratan’ireo mpampita ny isa any amin’ny tompon’andraikitra mahefa. Ny nahavariana ahy manko dia tsy nisy niteny ny delegen’ny kandida rehetra, ary tsy nametraka ny isa mialoha vao manome ny taratasy hosoniavina ihany koa. Izay zavatra hitako izay no nahatonga ahy hanao ny lohateny hoe fangalaram-bato ifanarahana izy ity ka miainga avy amin’ny mpifidy tsirairay mihitsy izany fifanarahana izany ary mipaka any amin’ireo mpikambana ao amin’ny biraom-pifidianana tsirairay avy ihany koa
Besides, voters, who do not follow up on ballot counts and certifications by the delegates, ballot counters and elections observers are not fulfilling their duties, because your voting does not stop at casting that ballot on that voting day. For me not following up on elections results of your precinct is tantamount to readily accepting whatever counts are transmitted to the officials in charge. What really amazed me was that none of the candidates’ delegates voiced a disagreement, and all of them also signed the certifications before the counts were even put in. This is the reason my post today is titled “agreed upon election frauds,” because this plot starts with each voter and spreads to each official of every precinct.