“Don’t destroy the Nation,” says the Prime Minister

2023-09-16 08:39:47

After the call from the President of the Senate, it is the Prime Minister who appeals to politicians yesterday, during the graduation ceremony for the promotion of police officers at the National Higher School of the National Police (ENSP) in Ivato, “ I appeal to politicians: Do not destroy the nation (…) Do not plant the seeds of instability in the country.” A declaration which seems in particular to be addressed to candidates who oppose “irregularities” denounced in the validation of the candidacy of the outgoing president, Andry Rajoelina and actions deemed “abnormal” by the regime in place.

The installation of the Prime Minister as head of the collegial government, following a renunciation of the power of the President of the Senate, is notably at the origin of the discontent not only of politicians, but also of civil society organizations, religious groups, teacher-researcher unions and also the electoral observatory, KMF/CNOE. The risk of non-impartiality is indeed high with the system in place according to these different entities.

But for the regime in place and for its activists, these are only “provocations” and acts of stabilization in order to prevent the outgoing president from running for a second term. For the Prime Minister, the presidential election of November 9 must be held at all costs, and beware of destabilizers. The administration thus intends to mobilize the police to enforce the law, and to prevent any attempts at disturbance, as was already the case yesterday evening.

Indeed, yesterday evening, mixed elements of the national gendarmerie and the police were deployed in front of the Analakely esplanade. On social networks, the soldiers mention that they are not going to give gifts to the troublemakers, while publishing photos of the rounds through the city’s neighborhoods. Then, that same evening, a fervent activist from the opposition parties, a real activist on social networks, was reportedly arrested and questioned at the Fiadanana brigade, for unknown reasons.

The day before yesterday, the Prime Minister brought together the Joint Design Body (OMC) at the Mahazoarivo Palace where he notably called for calm. A meeting followed by a press briefing reserved for media close to the regime.