In Madagascar, the announcement of the provisional results of the legislative elections, Tuesday June 11, by the Electoral Commission (Céni) marks the end of a rich electoral cycle. During this period, the lower neighborhoods of Antananarivo benefited from the particular attention and generosity of the candidates. Distributions of rice, money and the usual campaign promises. Far from the excitement of recent weeks, for the inhabitants of these disadvantaged areas, it is a return to normal, with its share of disappointments.
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With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Pauline Le Troquier
In this cobbled street, near a second-hand clothes stand, a group of women crowd around our microphone. From the electoral promises made to the inhabitants of this district of Anatihazo, they did not expect a radical change in life.
But Mbolatiana, unemployed, is annoyed at having received only half of the money promised in exchange for his participation in a candidate’s campaign rallies. “ It’s disappointing, we feel like we’ve been manipulated. On the last day of the election campaign, we walked behind him for a long, long time to support him. Finally, we received 2,000 ariary instead of 5,000 ariary “, she explains.
A hellish pattern that repeats itself
Behind his stand, Rado, “gargotier”, watches for customers. He stayed away from the campaign, but confides his bitterness at seeing residents of the neighborhood – mostly women, he says – duped by politicians. “ It’s sad because life hasn’t changed. People are forced to accept what they are given because they are poor. They are treated like animals lured with rice and once the elections are over, politicians ignore them. »
This infernal pattern, the same at every election, Haingo, a member of local civil society, has observed for years and ensures that residents benefit from it, due to lack of real support for a program. “ Residents are already aware that once the elections are over, nothing should be expected from elected officials. So, they even say that now, we have to wait until next November for the municipal elections, in order to be able to benefit from other gifts. »
Last electoral deadline before five years, the November municipal election should be marked in these disadvantaged neighborhoods by the same promises and disillusions.
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