Andry Rajoelina, who not yet gave his candidacy up, playing a double standard with the SADC

Andry Rajoelina did not take the “wise” decision, as Marc Ravalomanana did, and tries to save time. As an outcome of his meeting with the Tanzanian President Kikwete Jakaia in Dar Es Salaam, both parties merely agreed “on the need for further consultations between the involved groups in order to reach a conclusion to this issue before the end of December 2012.”

The issue obviously concerns the SADC’s resolution produced by the SADC’s Summit held on December, 8th, 2012, namely the pledge to the exiled president Marc Ravalomanana’s right to freely go home, and the request for renunciation to respective presidential candidacies, which also concerns Andry Rajoelina.

Andry Rajoelina officially expressed his gratitude to the SADC’s commitment to pledge support to his electoral deadline, and called upon the international community to financially support the elections apparently scheduled for good in 2013 in Madagascar.

The joint statement praised the collegial understanding between the two heads of state in these peaceful discussions. The reality on the ground is obviously different, since the SADC has never been considering Andry Rajoelina as a genuine head of state, but rather as a leader, who must not be allowed to turn into any head of state due to his major role in the year 2009’s putsch which directly lead to the political crisis in Madagascar.

Before flying away to Dar Es Salam, he, who emphatically requires the title of President of the Transition as well as a legitimate status as head of state claimed by rampaging mobs’ support, uttered words full of distrust toward the SADC: “neither the SADC’s decision nor the declaration of Marc Ravalomanana will change what I have in mind,” he said, and added…

…”As a patriot, protective of national sovereignty, I will never accept that a country or an international organization designates the candidates to our country’s leadership.” Andry Rajoelina labels any of the SADC Summit’s resolutions which would prevent his candidacy as “an indirect form of colonization.” As per usual, the year 2009’s putsch maker assimilates his candidacy, in spite of his crimes before and during the transition, to the right to sovereignty on behalf of the Malagasy people.

In clear words, Andry Rajoelina was in for defending his jeopardized presidential candidacy and nothing else: “Everyone meeting the legal requirements is allowed to become a presidential candidate. May the Malagasy people choose its country’s next leader.”

In Dar Es Salaam though, the head of the transition has however neither roared his candidacy nor stood any official ground at all and rather played a low profile. He merely let a tip out during the inauguration of the Maki rugby stadium on December 15th, 2012 on home soil: “Madagascar will become a champion with Andry Rajoelina”.

Will inaugurating a handful of facilities quickly erected to serve propaganda and making political capital out of the XV Maki rugby team in the Africa B league championship possibly prove enough to deserve a champion’s title? Considering that his own deeds have been plunging the country into crisis and poverty in 4 years of an illegal mandate? The Coliseum of Antsonjombe did not welcome a fully convinced crowd.