Madagascar president on course for reelection as supporters claim they were promised money to vote

By SARAH TETAUD
Associated Press

ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina is on course for reelection in a vote boycotted by most opposition candidates. They say conditions were not met for a free and fair vote in the election last week. Rajoelina had received 60% of the votes after 68% of polling stations had declared their results by late Wednesday. Rajoelina, a former DJ and mayor of the capital, Antananarivo, was president of a provisional government in 2009-2014 after a military coup. He was elected president in 2019 and gained a degree of notoriety for promoting a herbal drink as a cure for COVID-19. Since the election, supporters have been lining up outside his party’s offices claiming they were promised payouts in return for their vote.