Transition’s Presidency: the mist over power sharing gets thicker

According to the Malagasy transitional Charter’s Addis Ababa Additional Act, the Transition’s President, Andry Rajoelina, exerts the authority of the Chief of the state. A presidential Council made of two co presidents is to be set up. According to Andry Rajoelina however “there is only one president of the transition; the president of the transition is Andry Rajoelina “. He is definitely downsizing the relevance of both co presidents, first by affirming that they are vice-presidents with altered titles, then by hinting that the co presidents would have no power. 

The Addis Ababa Act’s article number 2 clearly stipulates that the transitional President’s authority is to be exerted by the Transition’s President, assisted by the two co chairmen from the presidential Council. It is deliberately misinterpreted by the Rajoelina mobility, which tries to make believe that Fetison Andrianirina and Emmanuel Rakotovahiny are co chairmen of an organ supposed to advise the transitional president. According to Andry Rajoelina, this council is merely assisting the presidency by lavishing advice, collaboration or propositions. 

The idea of the co-presidency is struggling to get swallowed even though the Act and the official statement produced as the Addis Ababa meeting’s outcome clearly specify that the Zafy and the Ravalomanana mobility are entitled to name one Transition’s Co president each. Back home one day earlier than the other delegations, Andry Rajoelina tried to pull rank on everyone else in propaganda, and to claim victory. “Signing all acts together is off the point” he argued. “All acts are signed by the President’s Transition. Both advisors will sign to certify that they have been informed of whatever would be decided by Cabinet meetings” For Andry Rajoelina, both co presidents are nothing more than “ministers”. 

According to the Addis Ababa Act, the Transition’s President and both Co presidents are to be holding weekly meetings in order to assess the nation’s situation, engage necessary measures or let them be engaged in Cabinet meeting. The other delegations’ return home had to come true before having the genuine explanation of the co presidency restored. “When there are two co chairmen, there are three Presidents, it is consensual and inclusive “, said Albert Zafy. “When three persons are ruling together, there is transparency, it is already a reflection of the incoming 4th Republic” he added. 

According to the Transition’s Co president, Fetison Andrianirina “this transitional pattern is jointly directed”. He confirmed that decisions will be concerted. The Ravalomanana mobility’s delegation chief is convinced that “co-presidency is the single fastest solution to come out of from the crisis, it does not satisfy everybody but it is set for the good of the whole Malagasy people “. The first meeting between the Transition’s President and both Co presidents will determine whether Andry Rajoelina will successfully relegate those he is forced to share power with to the ministers’ division. The transition within the Transition is not over yet.