The power of the province: A peaceful march in support of the collective of candidates in Madagascar took place this Saturday in Antsirabe. While the “collective of 11” refuses to participate in the electoral campaign, this march represents an important mobilization in the town of Hautes Terres.
Senator Ndriana Rakotondrainibe, member of the collective, was present during the march. He expressed his support for the movement and underlined the importance of the participation of all Malagasy cities in citizen mobilization. “It is normal that the demonstrations are no longer concentrated only in Antananarivo, but that they also take place in all the cities of Madagascar. Today, it is Antsirabe which is mobilizing. Every Saturday, I will be here to encourage the population to exercise their right to vote,” he declared.
The march attracted a large number of demonstrators, all dressed head to toe in white, a symbol of peace and solidarity. Among them, a young woman who owns a grocery store, expressed her anger towards Andry Rajoelina, accusing him of his dual Franco-Malagasy nationality. “Rajoelina is a foreigner, he has French nationality! We don’t need him as president of Madagascar. There are enough Malagasy candidates capable of doing the job. So let him go to France, he has his president French over there!”, she said.
An unexpected encounter occurred when the procession passed in front of Andry Rajoelina’s campaign headquarters. Supporters of the outgoing president, wearing bright orange t-shirts bearing his image, made their voices heard in favor of their candidate. Marie-Béatrice, one of the supporters, highlighted the rudeness of the opposition and defended Rajoelina’s right to run as president. “We believe that the opposing camp is leading an unfair opposition. It was planned that after five years of mandate, the country would organize a free election. So why are they refusing to hold the vote? As for dual nationality of the president, he has Malagasy origins. His Malagasy blood runs in his veins!”, she affirmed with conviction.
Antsirabe, with its 310,000 voters, represents an important voting stronghold for candidates. This mobilization demonstrates the importance of the power of the province in Malagasy political life and reinforces the urgency of active participation of all regions of the country in the electoral process.
The peaceful march in Antsirabe is a concrete example of the citizen movement developing in Madagascar. Despite political tensions and divisions, the desire to make one’s voice heard and participate in building a democratic future is evident. The upcoming elections will be a crucial moment for the country, where the power of each vote could change the course of history.