Eugene Mangalaza: government’s chief still without government

Professor Eugene Mangalaza is already bound for action in Mahazoarivo but still lacks a government. The Prime minister of consensus is impatient. “I am already ready, I will blindly accept any minister who will be designated by political mobilities; I am not keen on making this matter more complicated than it already is”, he declared. 

The chief of the virtual unity government is regretting the reigning distrust. “No one trusts no one, and that tarnishes relations “, he noticed. Then, Eugene Mangalaza promised to address the political prisoners’ cases as early as humanly possible. “Issues have to be settled prior to a lull” he argued, “some mindsets are still very warm”. 

Eugene Mangalaza is persuaded that a step forward to reconciliation must be completed immediately. “The first session of the Transition’s Congress will be addressing the amnesty”, insisted the Prime minister.  

Contrary to his displayed low profile following his enforced acceptation by Andry Rajoelina, Prime minister Eugene Mangalaza proves to be quite an opened character. At the beginning, he exclusively spoke the pure Bestimisaraka dialect, not necessarily accessible to all Malagasy. Then, he brought changes to his communication by using the official Malagasy with a slight eastern accent. 

The transitional government’ chief’s declarations to the press about the particularities of his position will be retained: “all of the previously ruling Prime ministers chose their ministers, I will not”, “when ministers will enter the government, they will have to forget their mobility “… The university professor is keen on passing the Transition’s examination with success. “Neither second session nor repeat are allowed” he declared with a cloud of humour. 

Eugene Mangalaza is conscious of how special is his mission. “Even though I have not yet begun, I know it is going to be difficult… The weight of power is only experienced when one has to carry it”. The national unity Prime minister claims his neutrality loud, even though him has been proposed by the Ratsiraka mobility. He, finally, promised to organize free, fair and transparent elections. 

Who is Eugene Mangalaza? Although he had previously played a political role some years ago, the Malagasy only found him out during the power transfer ceremony with Monja Roindefo, former prime minister of the HAT. Eugene Mangalaza flattered his predecessor in Mahazoarivo. He praised the popular struggle’s leader who has been educated in politics by his father, patriot and national hero, Monja Jaona. “Do not retain his mistakes but what he achieved” he added with philosophy. 

Eugene Mangalaza, university professor, graduated in anthropology and philosophy. In 2002, he had participated to the political negotiations between the Ratsiraka and Ravalomanana camps in Mahambo and in Dakar. President of the Toamasina university at that time, he/it has been forced into exile. Eugene Mangalaza taught in several foreign universities in La Reunion, New Caledonia and Switzerland. He has had a major role within the French-speaking Academic agency. Outside of the academic world, he/it has been a parliamentarian for Mananara Nord, as well Director of Public Resources for the company in charge of the Toamasina harbor. This deserving figure was favored by the international community as being the man of the situation to direct the national unity government in Madagascar.