Plaza Ampefiloha: the State terminates the contract with Andry’s company (…)

2023-10-06 10:07:41

Terminated with immediate effect. The Ministry of National Education (MEN) has decided to terminate its partnership agreement with the company Canal 7 Vidéo et Event relating to the rehabilitation and use of the amphitheater located in Ampefiloha and its annexes. The company Canal 7 Vidéo et Event belongs to Andry Raobelina, candidate for the next presidential election.

The Ampefiloha amphitheater had been in an advanced state of disrepair for around twenty years. In 2016, at the initiative of the Canal 7event company, rehabilitation work was started following the signing of an agreement through the public-private partnership, between the former Minister of National Education, Paul Rabary and the director general of Canal 7 Events, Andry Raobelina. Once the development was completed, the amphitheater was renamed Plaza Ampefiloha. The contract was signed for a period of 15 years.

In a letter dated October 3, 2023, signed by the current Minister of Education Sahondrarimalala Marie Michèle, the MEN announced the termination of the contract. The reason given by the MEN to justify this termination is the use of the Plaza to host a political event on September 28. This use is not consistent with the spirit of the preamble to the partnership contract, namely the realization of educational and cultural projects, affirms the MEN.

For his part, Andry Raobelina denies the organization of a political event in the Plaza premises on September 28. According to him, training on paint manufacturing had taken place there on that date. “Several training courses to help and encourage young people to become entrepreneurs were regularly organized there well before I ran for president,” says Andry Raobelina.

“It’s a political decision,” declares Andry Raobelina who denounces the intimidation against him. Andry Raobelina is in fact part of the collective of 11 candidates for the presidential election on November 9.

“The provision of this amphitheater to political parties harms the principle of political neutrality of the administration according to article 39 of the Constitution,” maintains the minister in her letter. On this point, Andry Raobelina replies that the Palais des Sports and the CCI Ivato also belong to the administration. The Palais des Sports is in fact attached to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, yet several political events take place there, most recently the announcement of Andry Rajoelina’s candidacy.