18 March 2009

Antananarivo - Madagascar's Constitutional High Court on Wednesday confirmed Andry Rajoelina as the acting president of the republic, according to a document, a copy of which was obtained by AFP.

Andry Rajoelina became Madagascar's acting president on Wednesday and vowed to curb poverty on the island, a day after the army ended a months-long power struggle and swept him to power.

Speaking to 15 000 supporters in the capital Antananarivo, the 34-year-old was quick to assert his authority and promise to reverse some of the policies that sparked popular discontent with ousted president Marc Ravalomanana.

Many foreign powers were non-committal, neither legitimising Rajoelina's army-backed rise to power nor describing it as a coup even as the constitutional court confirmed him as the acting president.

But Zambia called for Madagascar's suspension from the African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Foreign Minister Kabinga Pande said Lusaka rejected the "unconstitutional" change of power.

The court proclaimed "that Mr Andry Rajoelina exercises the attributions of the president of the Republic as stated by the provisions of the constitution."

In his first speech as acting president, Rajoelina vowed to deliver on some of the main themes that drove his campaign to unseat Ravalomanana and pledged to make the fight against poverty his priority.

"I will do everything I can to ensure that Madagascans are lifted out of poverty," he said.

Rajoelina promised to bring food prices down on the island, where three-quarters of the population live on less than two dollars a day, and also announced his decision to sell the ousted president's plane.

"For the good of the Madagascan people, I will sell Force One," he said, adding that the money would be used "to establish a hospital for the people's health, which is a higher priority."

Force One is a Boeing 737 that Ravalomanana recently purchased from Disney World for 60 million dollars and had become a symbol of the regime's greed in the eyes of many Madagascans.

One of his first tasks at the helm of the transitional authority he set up last month will be to fill the constitutional gap of his takeover, not least of which is an article which makes him six years too young to run for president.

Rajoelina has two years to organise fresh elections, a move rejected by former colonial power France.

"The 24-month period to organise fresh elections is too long," foreign ministry spokesperson Eric Chevallier said.

"Under such extraordinary circumstances, the international community wants a quick return to democracy."

Relieved to witness the end of a three-month period of instability during which 100 people were killed, Madagascans appeared torn, some hoping Rajoelina can bring about change and others condemning a coup.

"Ravalomanana had to go because people were sick of his dictatorial style and contempt for other people's opinions," said Rija, a 29-year-old from Antananarivo.

"But yesterday's developments were realised through force," he added.

Rajoelina effectively took charge on Tuesday evening after the military rejected a plan laid out by the beleaguered Ravalomanana to hand over power to some of his allies in the military.

The 59-year-old Ravalomanana's resignation came hours after the army had blasted its way into his offices and let his arch rival Rajoelina take control.

The move marked a dramatic victory for Rajoelina, the sacked mayor of Antananarivo who has been leading a months-long push to topple Ravalomanana after seven years as president of the impoverished island.

While Ravalomanana did receive support from his African peers, the condemation was muted.

A special meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa called for the security of the outgoing president and his entourage to be guaranteed.

"We would want constitutional order to continue," said the African Union's top executive Jean Ping.

"If the military do not follow this, this will be a coup. But then again we are still following the situation," he told reporters.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon expressed "grave concern" as he urged all sides "to act responsibly to ensure stability and a smooth transition through democratic means."

"This peaceful path can only be the result of transitional arrangements arrived at by consensus and enjoying wide support," he added in a statement.

Ravalomanana's whereabouts following his resignation were not immediately clear but speculation has abounded for days that he might flee into exile.

Most of his family left when he lost control of the army last week.