2nd LD Writethru Roundup: Madagascar's new prime minister takes office

Madagascar's new Prime Minister Jean Ravelonarivo took office on Saturday after a power transfer with his predecessor Roger Kolo.

After leading the government for eight months, Kolo resigned on Monday night.

President Hery Rajaonarimampianina appointed Ravelonarivo as prime minister on Wednesday.

The power transfer was held at the prime minister's office in a ceremony attended by chiefs of institution in Madagascar, civilian and military government officials, and diplomatic corps in function in the country.

"The president was not wrong to appoint the General Jean Ravelonarivo as Prime minister; because I know the competency of the Prime minister," 72-year-old Roger said at the ceremony.

After leading the first government of Madagascar's forth Republic since April 2014, Kolo Roger, a medical specialist in radiology, resigned Monday night with his government and was replaced by the 56-year old navy, General Jean Ravelonarivo.

"The time of dream finished; we will work, work and work. I know the difficulty that await me in my future tasks; but whatever we do, when we do it with passion and in right way, there will not be any problem," the incoming prime minister said.

"My door is always opened only for talking about development," Ravelonarivo added.

Graduated in aircraft pilot from Kirovograd University in Russia, in International relationships from the University Of Paris, France, Jean Ravelonarivo was appointed as Madagascar's prime minister by the president of republic Hery Rajaonarimampianina 24 hours after the resignation of his predecessor.

Ravelonarivo said that he will not speak about the general policy of the government until the appointment of his government member. "The creation of the government will be held soon," he said.

The appointment of Ravelonarivo as Prime minister is contested by the former transitional president Andry Rajoelina, and some candidates to the presidential election in December 2013, as Jean Louis Robinson, Hajo Andrianainarivelo and Camille Vital.

They complained that Ravelonarivo was appointed Prime Minister because his wife and the first lady are closest friends. They said that the appointment of Ravelonarivo was not conforming to the constitution.

The article 54 of Madagascar's Constitution stipulates that "the Prime Minister is appointed by the president of Republic in a list proposed by political party having the majority in the parliament."

The name of Ravelonarivo was included at the 14 names proposed by 113 parliament members on Tuesday to be appointed prime minister by the president Rajaonarimampianina. Madagascar's parliament has 152 seats.

The president of national Assembly, Jean Max Rakotomamonjy called these complaining politicians to wait the next presidential election in 2018 if they want to take power because the Malagasy people had enough political crisis and the development of the country needs stability.

Ravelonarivo was a pilot of aircraft of former president Didier Ratsiraka from 1996 to 2001 while his wife was a secretary of Ratsiraka. He was also a General Director of the company SEIMAD, which built houses for public servants during the regime of Ratsiraka.

He was president of the association Rotary club in Madagascar before being appointed as prime minister.

Ravelonarivo is the 18th Malagasy prime minister since the independence of the Indian Ocean island country in 1960. Endi