Madagascar leader sacks Prime Minister

  1. Posted on Saturday 19 December 2009 - 11:00
    KingsleyKobo
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    Kingsley Kobo, AfricaNews reporter in Abidjan, Ivory Coast
    Madagascar's leader Andry Rajoelina on Friday fired the consensus prime minister who was named last October following a peace deal the island's political rivals brokered in Mozambique under an international mediation.
    Andry Rajoelina
    In a decree released by Rajoelina on Friday afternoon in Antananarivo, the nomination of Eugene Mangalaza – the consensus prime minister – was cancelled while in a second decree, current deputy prime minister in charge of interior affairs, Cecile Manorohanta, was appointed as the prime minister to head a new transitional government, , AFP said.

    Observers say it is a move likely to anger international mediators and further jeopardise hopes of resolving the island's political crisis.

    Rajoelina had accused the three opposition movements of seeking to remove him from power by violating previous power-sharing agreements.

    The three opposition movements are headed by three former presidents - Marc Ravalomanana, Albert Zafy and Didier Ratsiraka.

    Rajoelina said on Wednesday that it was no longer possible to work with his political rivals, whom he called “traitors” for trying to “reduce him to a powerless leader” at the December 8 Maputo meeting.

    The meeting, summoned by the international community, was meant to remove obstacles hindering the application of an earlier peace accord. Rajoelina boycotted the meeting, and also blocked the return of opposition representatives who finally arrived in Madagascar on Friday, after spending 10 days waiting for permission to enter their country.

    Rajoelina, 35, former disc jockey and former mayor of Antananarivo, toppled democratically elected Marc Ravalomanana with military backing in March.

    Rajoelina also announced on Wednesday that new parliamentary elections would be held in March 2010.

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