The Transition’s presidency

The first official act signed by the Transition’s president was the appointment of the Prime minister, the Transition’s national unity government chief. His name is, as agreed by the four mobilities, Eugene Régis Mangalaza. Coming from the Ratsiraka mobility, this university professor was among those exiled figures compelled to leave the country following the post electoral crisis of 2002.   

In order to appoint the consensual Prime minister, the president of the HAT has referred to the Republic’s Constitution, to the Maputo I Charter and to the ratification of this charter by the de facto transitional authorities. The decision is the logical continuation of the green shots of agreements signed by the four mobilities. In this case, the immediate implementation following media broadcasting and regardless of publication in the Official Book does make sense. 

Race against the clock 

This express appointment is a reaction to the dangerously shooting up tensions between Andry Rajoelina and his Prime minister Monja Roindefo. On Friday, the president of the HAT has tried to justify the removal of his government chief with the supreme interest of the nation and with the country’s tricky economic situation. Andry Rajoelina had not reckoned with the almost rebellious reaction from his Prime Minister who has not yet swallowed his removal. 

 “The legal government put in place by the popular struggle carries on working “. Monja Roindefo retaliated by explaining that the international mediation’s actions should neither concern him nor the transitional government chief. “Neither a declaration nor a statement from the ICG are entitled to designate a Prime Minister”. So he is denouncing the illegality of the appointment of Eugene Mangalaza therefore. 

Internal war 

The Rajoelina mobility has fallen into pieces following the HAT president’s announcement of his will to comply with the agreements signed in Maputo, no matter how much did Andry Rajoelina reiterated to have done his possible best to preserve his brother-in-arms, Monja Roindefo, as far as proposing to him the transition’s vice presidency yet promised to the Zafy mobility. The government chief appointed on the place of May 13th is claiming the sacrifice that he made by leading the crowd in Ambohitsorohitra on February 07th, 2009, and condemning a “diversion of the popular struggle” by opportunists who caught the running TGV. 

Monja Roindefo has thrown the last card up his sleeve by trying to keep in control of an insurgent government which, therefore, does no more obey Andry Rajoelina. The latter has been thrown out by his ministers who publicly declared that they would, from now on, no more obey his orders. These current government members are still in charge until the new government’s composition is being decided by the four mobilities.  Monja Roindefo is,  as far as he is concerned, definitely the first declared contestant of the presidential race. He might very quickly become Andry Rajoelina’s number one adversary.