Madagascar is due to hold its election on Wednesday 7th November, one considered important for the country’s future.
The stakes are high in the vote as four of the most recent five presidents are in the race for the top job.
Wednesday’s election will be the country’s 10th since it gained independence from the French in 1960.
The electoral commission, CENI, said it would open polling stations by 6:00AM, with voting running until 5:00PM.
Candidates
A record setting 36 candidates are registered to run for the presidency, three more than the number that vied in the last elections in 2013.
While questions have emerged over CENI’s ability to conduct a poll with that huge number of participants, the authority is confident it will deliver a credible poll as required by law.
Former Presidents
Among the 36 candidates vying for Madagascar’s top job, analysts expect the race to be narrowed down to three people, all of whom are former presidents.
Andry Rajoelina, Marc Ravalomanana and Hery Rajaonarimampianina are seen as having more influence than the other 33 candidates, and as such, one of them is expected to emerge victorius.
Voter Numbers
Close to 10 million Malagasy nationals are registered to vote in the 11 November election, although the voter turnout is not expected to hit any close to that.
The island country located to the southeast coast of Africa has a population of 26 million.
Poverty
Magascar is one of the poorest nations in the world. According to the World Bank, over 70 percent of Malagasy people live below the poverty line, with very limited opportunities to change this.
Most families in the country cannot afford decent housing or comfortable upkeep.
Alleviating poverty is thus one of the greatest concerns for Madagascar nationals going into the Wednesday election.
Issues
Also among the issues Madagascar citizens will want addressed by the incoming leader include; provision of clean water, better health services, security, education, infrastructural development and jobs.
Right from the airport, the streets of the capital Antananarivo are filled with beggars and street families, with heaps of garbage littering the streets. Cleanliness is also an issue many Malagasy people, especially from the middle class, will want their next leader to look into.
Election results
According to CENI, provisional election results should start streaming in within 12 days, with official results expected nine days later.
The announcement of the results is not done by CENI, but by the High Constitutional Court (HCC).
Election rounds
To ensure victory in the Madagascar presidential election, a candidate must garner 50 percent plus one vote, an absolute majority.
If no candidate hits the mark, a run-off vote between the top two candidates is conducted, where the winner takes all glory.
A run off vote in the election is scheduled for December 19.
