Africa-Press – Eswatini. Lutfo Dlamini, the eSwatini former Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation says “history is repeating itself in Madagascar amid deadly protests and allegations of a coup seeking to remove President Andry Rajoelina from power”.
Dlamini was the eSwatini Foreign Minister in 2009 when Rajoelina staged a coup against the then democratically elected President Marc Ravalomanana.
King Mswati, the then Chairman of the Southern African Development Community(SADC) Troika on Politics, Defense and Security sent a delegation led by Foreign Minister Lutfo Dlamini to engage Rajoelina who refused to meet the SADC delegation.
But this week,President Rajoelina appealed for help amid deadly protests and as reported by the British Broadcasting Corporation(BBC) he confirmed through a press statement, allegations of a coup seeking to remove him from power.
“History repeats itself with Madagascar, we recall last time Eswatini and His Majesty was Chair of Troika and Rajoelina took power from Ravalomanana the same way, he was a popular DJ then. His Majesty dispatched me then Foreign Minister and SADC Secretary to Madagascar to reconcile the two. Rajolina told us to stay away as SADC as he claimed to be solving the problems of Madagascar,” said the former eSwatini Foreign Minister when responding on Sunday afternoon.
On another note, the former eSwatini Foreign Minister said as the SADC delegation, they narrowly survived an attack by President Andry Rajoelina who warned them not to interfere in the political affairs of Madagascar and the then South African Foreign Minister Maite Emily Nkoana-Mashabane assisted in transporting Ravalomanana to the Kingdom of eSwatini.
“We narrowly survived the strikers as tried to make peace and convey his Majesty’s peace message. Ravolomanana escaped that night in a small aircraft and landed in Mozambique then flew to Mpumalanga. SA Foreign Minister called me the next day to fetch the President to Eswatini as we were responsible as Troika Chairman.The King worked very hard to resolve the issue, called many SADC and AU meetings but Rajoelina didn’t bend and he took power by force and even prevented Ravalomanana from returning home,” he said adding that, “as Incoming SADC Troika Chairman, he hopes God will guide the King as he works towards addressing yet another political crisis in Madagascar”.
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