Arriving in chilly Madagasca’s capital, Tananarivo, visitors are told, “here we say, Madagascar-no problem,” But this no longer holds since the democratic government of President Marc Ravalomanana was toppled by disc jockey enthusiast, Andry Rajoelina.
There are now enough problems to keep the country’s politicians to have sleepless nights until the current mess is sorted out. The talks in Mozambique are unique, practically creating a precedence where the hunter and the hunted are willing to find solutions to the democratic status quo.
The sticky patch remains on who would lead the transitional government. All eyes are on Mr. Rajoelina as to whether he would dismantle his undemocratic tent and return power to the constitutional players.
By the fervour going on at the talks, a significant trend is that delegates and political rivals have accepted the need for a fair division of power within a national unity government.
If the trend for a 30 day deadline holds, the country should be waking up to a return to the constitutional trend by the first week in September. One hopeful trend is that all parties decided on August 9 that a president should be nominated as well as a prime minister, three deputy prime ministers and 28 ministers to be appointed.
Every politician from both sides of the divide seemed to be restless to return to the fold to give a kiss of life to the advancement of Madagascar. It is also ironic that once bitter enemies are sitting down at the same conference table, hearing, not by conference linking, breathing the same air, in a parley brokered by the often slow couch SADC (the Southern Africa Development Community).
Although I was told that when Mr. Rajoelina addresses the meeting, overthrown President Ravalomanana would fix his gaze on the cobweb infected ceiling of the hall, political watchers dismissed the gesture as unimportant. He is still within human distance to listen to what is being said by his jivey opponent.
It is also a squalid reminder that politicians both in Madagascar and else-where should stop talk excessively. Days before the March coup, then President Ravalomanana was asked by a reporter: what would you do if you are overthrown.
Unruffled, he replied jokingly, “I will keep quiet.” What the ongoing meeting has shown so far is that nations can sort out their problems by sitting and talking about them than resort to war, causing ruins and destroying the lives of their citizens.
Also that the continental peace and security outfit, the African Union could use proxy groups to at least reduce tension and get opposing sides talking.
It would be a hasty political conclusion that the problem of Madagascar are near-solved and like the fabled everybody living happily-ever after but the possibility of events degenerating into chaos have bottomed out.
The Maputo experience if it turns out with a successful result would be a soothing balm to other political problems dodging solutions in other African countries. It could get Sudanese President Omar El-Bashir meeting the dozens of opponents on the issue of Darfur.
Or the ever continuing and dodgy situation in the DR Congo, or the war in northern Uganda and many others plucked out from the pack. No need to ask that if Mr. Rajoelina knew that he was going to sit down to discuss finding a solution to the democratic mess he has created why did he ferment the coup in the first place.
The answer may be found in the Russian joke of politicians not having much brain. According to the joke which I understood was from Kalinin, south east of Moscow, a man needed a transplant and was offered the choice of brains of a scientist, a journalist, a pastor and a politician.
The brains of the scientist would cost a thousand dollars, and declining prices for the rest ending with those of the politician, he was told. Startled, he asked why the brains of the politician are so cheap at 50 dollars.
Reacted the surgeon, the answer is simply: the brain are never used to the fullest. Perhaps this might be one reason why Mr. Rajoelina is now tittering. Many say the development is an alert message to others who would be thinking of upsetting the constitutional applecart.
Madagascar, once a thriving touristic destination is close to a shaggy doll and more of an empty shell. The country needs an urgent bail out to get going rather quickly as many other countries are already in the queue to fill the gap in the touristic trade.
The country’s sugar trade is also in jeopardy. Who would want to deal with a regime whose image has a question mark business entrepreneurs have asked. However, the doubts, the Maputo talks should be seen as a baby’s comforter rather than allow the baby to suck his thumbs until it becomes reddish.
Better than throwing the baby together with the bath water, don’t you think? So the final clip rests on the decision by the Rajoelina group on September 4 as to whether they would accept the nominees for the Presidency, the Vice Presidency and the Prime Minister to pave the way for multi party elections in 15 month
By Rod Mac-Johnson
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