Norbert Lala Ratsirahonanana's AVI comes out of the shadows

Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana, considered one of the Malagasy political dinosaurs, not only came out of his silence, he especially came out of the shadows with the party Asa vita no ifampitsarana (AVI) his own political party. Last Saturday, this former president of the High Constitutional Court (HCC) and no less former roving ambassador of President Ravalomanana, announced his unconditional support for the former president of the transition, Andry Rajoelina, in the presidential election of November 7th.

This statement comes as no surprise given the political career of Norbert Lala Ratsirahonanana since his entry into politics in the 90s and especially for the past five or even ten years. After several years working behind the political scenes of AndryRajoelina, in being in particular his special adviser during the Transition and his representative in the mediations initiated by the international community during the recent political crisis of April, the jurist can only return the favor to the former young mayor of Antananarivo.

The link between the two personalities goes back a long way. In 2007, Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana sold his radio and television station Ravinala to the young DJ Andry Nirina Rajoelina, then mayor of Antananarivo. Ravinala became Viva Radio and TV, the forced closure of which in 2008 due to the overzealousness of those close to former President Marc Ravalomanana led to the latter's fall from power in 2009 and enabled Andry Rajoelina to become the head of Transition.

The biggest surprise on Saturday, in the context of this statement, was the return of former party members, such as Sylvain Rabetsaroana, an unfortunate presidential candidate in 2013 under the color of PNJ-Mazava and of deputy and former minister Jean Jacques Rabenirina who joined the VPM/MMM of Hajo Randrianainarivelo while Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana remained in the shadow of the former president of the Transition.

Norbert Lala Ratsirahonana has been appointed special adviser to Hery Rajaonarimampianina as President of the Republic since 2015. But with the vertiginous drop in the popularity rate of this outgoing president, he would have fled to join his colt, worn archi favorite. Anyway, the octogenarian is used to working with the one who has been in power since the Ratsiraka regime, which has earned him the label of "kingmaker".