Premiers’ shambles, the HAT lost in a sea of orders

Albert Vital is the fourth Prime minister appointed by Andry Rajoelina in nine months of transition, if Cécile Manorohanta’s short but official term as deputy Prime Minister, in addition to her on going duty as minister in charge of Home Affairs, is being held in account. Trying to polish such a tremendous record as much as possible, if ever, is understandably the least Colonel Vital could do. He put forward that keeping ministers and vice Prime ministers appointed during the Roindefo II era would, allegedly, be a sign of stability. “Would swapping government every three months suit good governance?”, wondered Albert Vital.   

The Prime minister unilaterally empowered by Andry Rajoelina yet has the intention to propose a partly military government. The army had already set its reserve governmental team ready to step in, could politicians, particularly the Rajoelina mobility, fail to hold on to power. Colonel Vital is probing the opinion by means of hints rather than affirmations. In any case, proposals have already been capitalized. Seven high ranked officers in all are expected to integrate the Vital government.    

Some “civilian” ministers could be sent back to the bench. Is Andry Rajoelina going to get rid of ministers supposed to stem from the other mobilities, or stick to this impression of inclusiveness by keeping them in charge? The unilateral appointment of a military Prime minister means that the president of the High Authority of Transition does away with the three other sides. As keeping the brood of Cécile Manorohanta, Alain Tehindrazanarivelo, Maharante Jean de Dieu, Alain Andriamiseza, Mamy Ratovomalala and so on, has been proving to have rather limited relevance since their original parties disowned them, now it just does not make sense anymore.   

At present, Prime Minister Albert Vital’s first concern is to make things clear with his predecessor Eugene Mangalaza. Not yet back from Maputo, and having been part of the odd ones out forced into exile, the Ratsiraka mobility’s man is challenging his dismissal. His attorneys have taken the issue into court. The justice logically ought to suspend Colonel Vital’s appointment order. In a remake of a previous episode, Eugene Mangalaza is, therefore, trying the same trick used by his predecessor.    

Prime Minister Albert Vital’s appointment process is, as a matter of fact, suffering from a total lack of legal basis. No matter how quick did the HAT’s correction emerge: officially disowning the Transition’s Charter signed in Maputo will not prove enough to erase the blunder. The Andry Rajoelina band is, thereupon, considering the Act representing the transitional Constitution signed by the four mobility leaders, as a mere decree. Naming the new Prime minister might compel the presidency of the HAT re-enact history, in reference to the Constitution, then to the decrees which “granted power” to Andry Rajoelina, according to its interpretation. The HAT is actually engulfing itself in a rather confusing spiral of unilateral moves, and consequently has to turn orders out one after another at an impressive rate.