The President of the African Judo Union, Siteny Randrianasoloniako announced his candidacy for the November 9 presidential election on Thursday. After a tour of several weeks on the island, the latter, who is also president of the Malagasy Olympic committee, says he has seen three priorities for the country: access to water, the development of agriculture and health.
Published on: 09/01/2023 – 01:25
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With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Like Laetitia
The current president of the Malagasy Olympic Committee says he wants to bring a program in line with the realities of the people and a change in the political landscape of the Big Island. “What differentiates me from others is that I believe in democracy. I did not participate in the 2002 coup. I did not participate in the 2009 coup. I did not participate in the destabilization of 2017,” he said in front of a crowd of supporters in his stronghold of Tulear, a large city on the south-west coast of the island of which he has also been the deputy for 10 years.
Elected deputy under the HVM label of former President Rajaonarimampianina in 2013, then under the banner, IRD support platform for the current head of state in 2019, Siteny Randrianasoloniako, 51, ended up distancing himself from Andry Rajoelina saying to himself ” betrayed” by this one “like all Malagasy since he has not fulfilled his promises”.
Signatory of the charter of good conduct for candidates, the native of Tulear, owner of local media, however, did not fail to distribute t-shirts in the colors of his campaign to the population. A usual practice in the Big Island and regularly denounced by civil society
« My goal is that Madagascar become a prosperous island. You can’t do that if you’re not elected president. 80% of Malagasy cannot read or write. That’s why we have to show our color and it’s through this color that we can communicate with these Malagasy people. That’s what these t-shirts are for. I don’t appreciate this practice but we have no choice.” he added. According to the last general population and housing census of 2021, 69% of the Malagasy population can read and write the Malagasy language.
“I have no relations with Russia”
While his proximity to the President Vladimir Poutine has often been questioned, the ex-judo champion has denied any support from Russia. ” Politically and in business, I have no relations with Russia. We can check everything. I am the president of the African Judo Union and the vice-president of the international judo federation. President Vladimir Putin was the honorary president of this international federation. So we got to know each other through that. But we must not forget that once the war with Ukraine started, he was suspended from the federation and he is no longer a member of the executive.”he explained.
Siteny Randrianasoloniako was also dubbed last week by the PSD, a party founded by the first president of the Malagasy Republic Philibert Tsiranana. He succeeds the latter’s granddaughter, Eliana Bezaza, as secretary general.
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2023-08-31 23:45:19
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