Rajoelina insists his only allegiance is to the Madagascar people.

A BBC investigation finds Russia offered money to six of the  candidates in last November’s presidential election on the Indian Ocean island state of Madagascar.

One of these, Pastotor Andre Mailholr Andre Mailhol, says the recipients who fell out on the first round were obliged to support Andry Rajoelina, who was the Russian-backed candidate in the run-off.

Russian funds paid for Rajoelina’s deposit as a candidate.

The investigation did not find hard evidence he had received money from the group of Russian spin doctors, businessmen and political players who were on the island for a year before the election.

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With more than 90% of the votes counted, he trails Andry Rajoelina who ousted him a 2009 coup.

It’s looking increasingly likely the impoverished island state of Madagascar will continue living the nightmare of political instability.

Marc Ravalomanana, the twice-elected President who spent years of exile in South Africa, says the fraud and violence he’s seen renders the poll not transparent and not creditable.

His opponent Andry Rajoelina also alleges electoral irregularities.

Political instability and the resultant security threat has dragged Madagascar down to being the seventh poorest country on the planet

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Twice elected former President Marc Ravalomanana says he has evidence of massive fraud in the voting.

The turnout has been lower in Madagascar’s run-off election than it was for the first round when 45% of the 10 million registered voters stayed away.

Looking for his first election win — the last time he took the presidency was in a coup — Andry Rajoelina has concentrated on the urban vote in a campaign largely funded by foreign interests keen to get access to the island’s natural resources.

Marc Ravalomanana was hoping for a bigger turnout  which would have brought in a stronger rural vote.

Final results are not expected until next week

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The final result of the contest between twice-elected former President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina, who unseated him in a 2009 coup, is not expected before Christmas.

SADC’s current chair, Namibian President Heine Geingob has tweeted his encouragement that both candidates in the Madagascar Presidential run-off have said they will accept the outcome.

Prime Minister of the island state Christian Ntsay, says his country which has become the seventh poorest nation on the planet largely due to political instability, doesn’t deserve  further unrest.

Ominously both candidates have laid out reasons for possibly disputing the final result. 

Marc Ravalomana says there’s been cheating with ballot papers and voter registration cards.

Andry Rajoelina alleges vote rigging in several centres.

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Andry Rajoelina and Marc Ravalomanana — who have each held the top job in the world’s seventh poorest country before — declared themselves winners in the run-off which analysts warned was likely to draw claims of fraud.

Marc Ravalomanana uses the nickname he’s picked up on the hustings and declares: Change is coming tomorrow.

Today it can be said Papa is elected. 

However, his rival Andry Rajoelina says he’s  sure he’s going to win

Both camps allege they’ve been  victims of fraud and cheating.

The EU observer mission, says the turnout yesterday was around 50 percent.

It calls for candidates and their supporters to wait patiently for the official results.

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They’re closing  between twice-elected former President Marc Ravalomana  and Andry Rajoelina who unseated him in a 2009 coup.

Neither Marc Ravalomanana nor Andry Rajoelina were permitted to run in the 2013 election won by Heri Rajoanarimampianini.

It was feared such a contest would drive the country back into conflict.

For this not to happen, it is vital that the result of today’s run-off is accepted by the loser.

With two bitter rivals running neck-and-neck that is by no means a given.

Rajoelina has demonstrated that he has the financial support, but Ravalomanana believes he can bring out the rural vote to get him across the line.

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Failure of this election could drive the world’s seventh poorest country into even more despair.

Twice-elected Madagascar President Marc Ravalomana has produced 500 ballot papers handed to him last night before the polls opened this morning.

They come from men who told him they’d been given stacks of voters registration cards and told to use them at as many polling stations as possible.

Ravalomanana fears such cheating could rob him of any change of beating Andry Rajoelina who ousted him in a 2009 coup that drove Madagascar into isolation, instability and poverty.

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Both Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina says they’s accept the outcome of the election – which is vital for pulling the island state out of its political and economic mess.

Marc Ravalomanana, who was ousted as President of Madagascar by Andry Rajoelina in a 2009 coup, promises to lift the country out of poverty if he is re-elected.

More than 17 million of Madagascar’s 25-million population live in dire poverty.

To beat Andry Rajoelina, he’ll have to bring out many of the 45 percent  of the 10-million registered voters who stayed away in the first round.

Rajoelina has been using his $20-million war chest to secure the support of the voters who gave him a narrow first round win.

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Marc Ravalomanana, the 69-year-old ex president who spent most of his five years of exile in South Africa, vows to have his revenge against 44-year-old Andry Rajoelina.

ends intro

Marc Ravalomanana, who beat all political odds to win Madagascar’s  presidency  in 2002 and retain in four years later, still battles with a reputation for autocracy.

Andry Rajoelina, the coup leader, has to assuage fears that his big money backing  is not from those seeking to rape the island state’s natural resources.

Whoever wins the run-off  presidential election will have his work cut out restoring stability to a country brought to its knees by political turmoil.

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The list of no fewer that 36 candidates include three rulers of the Indian Ocean Island.

ends intro 

Heri Rajoanarimampianina, who’s been in power since 2014 is seeking re-election on November 7.

He’ll be rivaled by Marc Ravalomanana, elected in 2002 and overthrown in a coup seven years later…

… and Andry Rajoelina, who led that putsch and stayed at the helm for four years.

They were not allowed to contest the 2013 poll, sparking violent protests earlier this year.

Rajoanarimampianina was obliged to form a consensus government to organise next month’s election.

Madagascar desperately needs a sustained period of stability to overcome the economic damage done by the years of political turmoil.

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