(photo credit to Harinjaka)
The final results of the municipal elections for Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, were handed out last week. The independent candidate, Andry Rajoelina, won against the candidate of the presidential party, Hery Rafalimanana, in an upset many bloggers perceive as a warning for the current president.
The mayor of Antananarivo is a rather important position in the Malagasy political scene that is often a springboard for higher political aspirations. Indeed, the current president is himself a former mayor of Antananarivo.
Andry Rajoelina, also known as TGV, is a successful young entrepreneur who made his career in the media and communication business.
The unique features of his campaign platform were highlighted by Malagasy blogger, Hery [Mg]:
“Nifantoka be tamin'ny tanora ny fampielezan-keviny na dia hoe eo koa aza ny zavatra hafa izay nampanantenainy […] Fanorenana toerana azo ilalaovana sy ivelaran'ny sain'ny ankizy, Famitomboana ny toerana hanaovan'ny tanora fanatanjahan-tena sy hianlana voly, Fanomezana “COURS” maimaim-poana ho an'ny mpianatra rehetra manala fanadinana, na CEPE, na BEPC, na BACCALAUREAT izany, Fanafaingana ny fahazoana taratasy isan-karazany”
Harinjaka tells us why one young voter has made up her mind:
“J’ai voté pour TGV dit-elle parce qu’il est jeune. Nous avons besoin d’enseigner une leçon au régime actuelle et de montrer que nous ne sommes pas aveuglément derrière elle”
Not everyone is convinced by Rajoelina's youthful charisma. Thenonrequired sounds skeptical and wished for a more concrete agenda [Fr]:
“Troupe de hira gasy, rangée de mannequins, buffet, 500 invités, entrée au milieu des photographes… Pfff… Ouaip… Pourquoi pas…? Mais à part cela? Et bien à part cela rien! Pas de programme précis mais des formules creuses :
# Je n’ai pas peur.”
# “Il est impensable qu’à notre époque on vive encore dans l’arbitraire et
l’abus de pouvoir”
# “Tout le monde a le droit de gagner son pain”
# “On doit aider la jeunesse à réaliser ses ambitions”
“#I am not afraid,
#It is unthinkable that nowadays, one can still live in an era of authoritarian
regime and abuse of power.
#Everyone is entitled to earn a living.
#we need to help our youth realize their dreams…”
Mialy explains that the city of Antananarivo can be unforgiving at times:
“Fidèle, à ses moments et à sa manière, mais impitoyablement sévère quand elle l’a décidé. Ces derniers mois ont révélé une grogne en sourdine, il fallait la voir venir : Antananarivo était en froid avec la « Tim-mania”
Jentilisa and Barijaoana give their take on the reasons why the TIM party lost the elections.
Barijaoana quizzed a few voters on the reason for their change of hearts:
“Si on les chatouille un peu plus, ils évoquent surtout le verrouillage pas vraiment subtil du pays : mélange entre intérêts privés et publics favorisé par l'accession des Tiko & Magro boys aux postes étatiques, mainmise sur les échelons administratifs intermédiaires, embrigadement plus ou moins volontaire des fonctionnaires au TIM Education ou au TIM Santé, refus du débat. Par sa seule candidature, Andry TGV a réussi à devenir l'icône glamour des fautes de gouvernance du régime Ravalomanana”
Jentilisa outlines a few more reasons for the Presidential party’s defeat:
“Efa be no nametraka tamin’ny mpanadihady fa tsy mba fanaon’Antananarivo loatra izany mifidy ny antoko eo amin’ny fitondrana izany ka mbola hifidy ny Ben’ny tanàna avy amin’io antoko io ihany[..]Mihevitena manko ny sasany fa rehefa ao anatin’ny antoko dia tsimatimanota, ary misy mpiaro hatrany na inona na inona ataony[..] Fahatelo manaraka izany indray dia ny safidy kandidà narotsaka. Tsy tao anatin’ny fanomanana ve fa mety ho olona manam-pahaizana manokana momba ny serasera no hifaninana aminy ka olona votsa vava no narotsaka?”
6 comments
And TGV means “Train à Grande Vitesse” in French… Very Speed Train
What are people in this forum feeling about Marc Ravalomanana these days? What about the election last December that brought him back for another term? What has he shown to the country in this past year? Is it the democracy he brought that is now serving as the check and balances for politicians or was it Zafy who brought this? No matter who you support, it seems choice at the ballot box is really speaking its mind in Madagascar!
I just read Jentilisa’s article about the low turnout and potential fraud of last year’s election and am happy to read that other people who were there monitoring felt that maybe something kolikoly was happening. There was so much opposition leading up to the election, yet an ‘easy’ win for Ravalomanana. This pointed to something like the potential for fraud to many of us, but then again, we wanted to let the HCC do their job. I think the US wanted a smooth election and reinforced the local vote with a vote of their own, which is how le crise 2002 ended in the first place. What is good now, though, is that the mayoral election in Tana seems like democracy is prevailing. Eventually, the valalabemandry speak, n’est pas?
I think there wasn’t any kolikoly (pot de vin or corruption) but some people who were too greedy and wanted the power in any manner to snatch it