Reporting
Madagascar: ex-president Ravalomanana encourages his supporters to register on the electoral list
Audio 01:27
Marc Ravalomanana, during his meeting at Magro Tanjombato, on the outskirts of the capital, Antananarivo, on Saturday February 25, 2023. The former head of state encouraged his supporters to register on the electoral list for the presidential scheduled for the end of the year.
© Laetitia Bezain/RFI
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
After being banned from gathering at Magro Behoririka in central Antananarivo on Friday, supporters of TIM, the party of former president Marc Ravalomanana, were able to meet on the outskirts of the capital on Saturday (February 25th).
A meeting to revitalize the bases and educate supporters and sympathizers to register on the electoral list, while the overhaul operations continue.
A rally that took place without incident, but in the presence of a deployment of members of the surrounding police.
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With our correspondent in Antananarivo,
Laetitia Bezain
Supporters from the 26 communes of the Antananarivo-Atsimondrano district gathered inside the Magro Tanjombato, a store belonging to the former President of the Republic, Marc Ravalomanana.
In their hands, a leaflet indicating how to register on the electoral list and encouraging them to report any cases of duplicates, registrations of deceased persons or minors.
“
The election is approaching and it's time to explain all the instructions to all TIM members.
We are closely monitoring this overhaul of the list, because during the previous election, we found a lot of irregularities in the electoral list
, ”explains Oliva Andriantsoa Nasandratra, member of Young TIM (Tiako I Madagasikara).
After worship and a speech by the district deputy, it was the former head of state, wearing his famous red tie, who took the floor.
“
It is very important to have the real list and also to avoid manipulation of the electoral list.
So the message is clear today, is to go and see if your name is registered and if the standards are respected.
Then we are currently in an election year and we will work together.
So I also call on other parties to join us.
To win, you have to work together
,” said
Marc Ravalomanana
.
"
Intimidation measures
" denounced by the TIM
The former Malagasy president has not confirmed his candidacy, claimed by his supporters.
He says he is waiting for the decision of the national party congress.
At the beginning of the week, in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, the TIM had denounced a lack of respect for the neutrality of the Administration and the "
measures of intimidation, prohibition, cancellation and disruption
" of activities and party rallies.
"
I said directly to the Prime Minister that ''we are invited by the CENI (Independent National Electoral Commission for the Transition) to make voters aware of registering on the list, but it was you who gave the order to prevent voters from coming to rallies like this.'' So I was very surprised yesterday [Friday February 24, editor's note], because if you want to mobilize people, you have to go to the markets or else in the street.
(...) Here, there is always intimidation, provocations, but the Malagasy Constitution gives freedom of expression and especially freedom of demonstration at the level of political parties
”, indicated Marc Ravalomanana.
Reached by telephone, the prefect of Antananarivo said that the rally scheduled for Friday at the Magro, located in the city center, was not authorized "
to avoid the risk of disruption of traffic and the activities of merchants
".
The authorization for the meeting this Saturday, on the outskirts of the capital, was granted “
in the name of respect for democracy
”, he specified.
► Read also Madagascar: Andry Rajoelina reshuffles his government for the home stretch of his term
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Madagascar
Marc Ravalomanana