Voters braved heavy rains brought by Cyclone Jaya on Wednesday to have their say on revisions to Madagascar’s Constitution, criticised by the opposition for giving more power to the president.
Only a few voters turned out when polling stations opened at 7am local time. ”Only 15 people came in the first hour,” said Michel Rasolofo, head of a polling station in the capital. ”But with this rain, it’s no surprise. I think voters will come later.”
Proposed revisions to the text include eliminating the autonomy of six provinces and making English an official language of the former French colony, alongside French and Malagasy.
The opposition claims the main aim of the text is to give more powers to the president. The new Constitution contains a clause permitting the head of state to legislate by decree in emergency situations.
About seven million voters, out of a population of about 18-million, were voting in 17 500 polling stations. Voting was due to close at 6pm and results were expected within three days.
Madagascar’s Constitution dates back to its independence from France in 1960 and was last revised in 1998.
Nearly 70% of Madagascar’s population live in abject poverty, with the country ranked among the world’s 30 most impoverished nations in terms of human development.
Storm alert
Meanwhile, Mozambique’s northern coastal towns have been placed on blue alert as authorities fear the same tropical cyclone could hit late on Wednesday, Vista News reported.
In a press release, the national weather service said the coastal districts in Cabo Delgado, Nampula and Zambezia provinces could be affected by Cyclone Jaya.
Cyclone Jaya was located on Tuesday afternoon on the coast of Madagascar heading for Mozambique. It is expected to bring winds of up to 50km/h when it hits the coast on Wednesday night.
On February 23, Cyclone Favio hit the Mozambican resort town of Vilankulo with winds reaching up to 180km/h. Four people died in the cyclone, and thousands more were displaced by the damage to buildings. — Sapa-AFP, Sapa