FORMER MADAGASCAR PRESIDENT RAVALOMANANA: I WILL NOT BE A CANDIDATE FOR ANY POSITION IN NEXT YEAR'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Tanzania's President His Excellency Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete with Former Madagascar President, His Excellency Marc Ravalomanana during a press conference at the State House in Dar es Salaam December 11, 2012 in which the latter announced that he will not be a candidate for any position in next year’s Presidential Elections as a way forward towards resolving the political impasse in his country.

Photos Courtesy of the State House.

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Former Madagascar President, His Excellency Marc Ravalomanana has announced that he will not be a candidate for any position in next year’s Presidential Elections as a way forward towards resolving the political impasse in his country.

H.E. Ravalomanana has also said that he is planning to go return to Madagascar where he intends to “seek peace and work together with the people of Madagascar in reconstructing and rebuilding our country.”

H.E. Ravalomanana has been living in exile in South Africa since 2009 when he was overthrown in coup led by the current head of the Transitional Government, His Excellency Andry Rajoelina.

Mr. Ravalomanana told a press conference at the State House in Dar Es Salaam, where he was flanked by President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete that his decision not to contest the elections in May and July of next year was to implement in letter and spirit the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Madagascar Roadmap adopted in at a summit in Maputo.

During its just ended Summit in Dar as Salaam, SADC, after receiving a comprehensive Report from its facilitator in the Madagascar crisis, His Excellency Joachim Alberto Chisano, once again re-emphasized that the two candidates, H.E. Ravalomanana and H.E. Rajoelina should be persuaded not to stand in the forthcoming elections as a way towards resolving the crisis.

The Summit then tasked President Kikwete, who is the Chairperson of the SADC Organ for Politics, Defence and Security (Organ) to engage both leaders with the aim of persuading them not to stand in the elections. Launched in June 1996, the Organ’s primary responsibility is to promote peace and security within the SADC Region.

President Kikwete met H.E. Ravalomanana yesterday, Monday, December 10, 2012 at the State House in Dar as Salaam where he was able to persuade the former president to abide by SADC decisions.

Asked whether H.E. Ravalomanana feels it is important for President Kikwete to meet President Rajoelina as well and deliver the same message, President Kikwete told the media, “That is my responsibility. Leave that to me.”