Official remembrance: February 7th’s division bell

For having sneaked back home, Andry Rajoelina attended a religious ceremony in remembrance of 2009’s victims of his failed assault of the presidential palace in the run of his opposition to Marc Ravalomanana in 2009. The assault on the red zone, ignited but not lead by Rajoelina, ended in a bloody shoot out, as the presidential guard opened fired on infuriated mobs. 

Since February 7th, 2009, Andry Rajoelina’s partisans have been making this godsend shoot out to bring Marc Ravalomanana down. One year later although, the dictating transitional side is being dented by divisions. The political takeover following March 2009’s putsch proved to be not enough to weld unity. 

Conquering power is a hack of a job. Exerting power is a very different story, and Andry Rajoelina is enjoying a bitter taste of it. The alliance which took him to power with the army’s support is tearing apart. What is left of his most devoted disciples is currently sharply divided. The remembrance of February 7th became a clear proof of it all. 

Monja Roindefo laid his flower sheaf in the afternoon. During the morning’s religious ceremony, members of February 7th’s Victims Association (AV7) literally had an argument about the association’s presidency. Etienne Andriamahefarisoa, outgoing president, has been cast aside for having been involved in a hold up case. His successor, Boana Jean Pierre, has actually been screamed out by the outgoing president’s supporters right in the midst of Sunday’s religious ceremony as he was stepping on the floor. The disgrace is second to none.