Former Madagascar President Marc Ravalomanana was reportedly injured during a rally directed against incumbent president Andry Rajoelina’s re-election bid, according to Reuters. The alleged injury, a photographed bleeding wound on his left leg, was said to have occurred when police utilised tear gas to disperse his supporters during the protest.
Among those dissenting was presidential candidate Jean Brunelle, who was one of eleven candidates taking part in the protest. He claimed to AFP that the authorities fired tear gas at the protesters without warning. Protesters were rallying against the Madagascar Constitutional Court’s ruling that permits Rajoelina to relinquish power to Prime Minister Christian Ntsay, as opposed to the country’s Senate president, in the run-up to the November election.
The dissenters also demanded that Rajoelina be disqualified from the race, alleging that he does not possess Malagasy citizenship. Under Malagasy law, any adult citizen who willingly obtains foreign citizenship is constitutionally ineligible to stand for the office of president. The protesters point to a 2014 acquisition of French citizenship by Rajoelina as an incapacitance to his contention.
A ban on public protests was enacted by the Madagascar government in April. This ban was followed by the arrest of two opposition leaders involved in protests in Antananarivo, the capital, in July. These protests were staged to advocate for enhanced living and economic conditions. Riot police have been deploying tear gas to push back demonstrators since October 2nd, but no comments have been issued on this matter as yet.
In the face of these developments, Roland Ratsiraka, another presidential hopeful, announced that the peaceful protests would continue, further confirming that another march is due to occur on Monday.