Dozens of loyal supporters of Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina stood in queues to collect their party cards, believing this entitled them to financial rewards, despite a presidential election that was largely boycotted by opposition candidates.
Emilienne Razafindramanga, a waste collector, expressed her frustration, stating, “If the President was here in front of me, I’d like to tell him that he made a promise to provide for our needs in return for our support, because we’ve always been behind the President. So we are now asking for the sum of 350,000 Ariary (around 70 euros) to provide for our family, because we are very poor.”
Joining the chorus of supporters seeking compensation, Raveloson Razafindratoandro, a retiree, remarked, “I’m poor, but I receive help, so I wanted to thank the President. He also made promises to us before the election. Today, I’m here to get my card as an active member, so I can get the money he promised me. I was told that it was 350,000 Ariary (some 70 euros).”
The growing demand for financial assistance from supporters has led to escalating tensions. Despite this, Rajoelina’s party, TGV, denies allegations of offering money in exchange for votes, emphasizing that only donations were promised.
“This card proves that you are a member of the TGV political party. And when donations are distributed, the people to be favoured are those who have this card. But we have never made any promises that we are going to distribute money,” clarified Rakotondrabe Josélito, head of the TGV party in the rural commune of Ambohimangakely.
Rajoelina, 49, is currently leading the presidential race, with a preliminary tally giving him more than 60 percent of the vote, a share that would secure him re-election without a run-off, according to the electoral commission.
Final results for the election are expected to be announced later this week.
