Madagascar is a huge island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. It is detached from the rest of Africa. Although very little is often heard about the Island nation, the country is very much part and parcel of the African continent.
Madagascar has succeeded in staying off the radar for long. It is a country which many describe as one 'which minds its own business'. Well, it is in the news now as a result of the presidential elections currently going on in the country.
The first round of elections was held in the country on November 7 and two popular figures emerge tops. Going by the constitution of the country, the two leading candidates will have to battle it out on a re-run election set for a different date.
December 19 has been fixed and the two experienced politicians are getting prepared for the final stretch of the race, but who will come out victorious?
According to officials of the Independent electoral commission in the country, neither Andry Rajoelina nor Marc Ravalomanana obtained 50% of votes cast to automatically win the elections. The official results showed that Rajoelina had 39.19% of the votes, while Ravalomanana closely followed with 35.29% votes.
In what appeared to be an elections between past presidents, outgoing President Hery Rajaonarimampianina, came third on the November 7 polls with a surprising 8.84% of the vote. Something that proves that majority of the citizens in the country do not want in as their president any longer.
The elections recorded a low turn out however, with the electoral commission pegging the voting turnout at 54. 3%.
The three main candidates out of a total of 36, all former presidents, have accused the electoral commission of fraud and corruption. If this is true, then who is the commission supporting?
In 2001, Marc Ravalomanana has seized power forcefully after the first rounds of the elections despite a crisis that lasted for seven months and recorded the death of over a hundred people.
He was forced to resign in 2009 by the military which then handed power to his opponent Andry Rajoelina. So, this is a battle between individuals with a long history of rivalry.
The two were then banned from participating in the 2013 presidential election, which was won by Hery Rajaonarimampianina.
Do you think these candidates should have been allowed to contest in the November 7, 2018 in the first place?
Photo Credit: African News