The Malagasy Union of Sakalava (UMS) has issued a powerful public statement denouncing what it describes as rampant corruption and abuse of power among local officials in the city of Mahajanga.
In a scathing declaration released on July 31, the UMS directly accused unelected but appointed authorities of sabotaging development efforts through embezzlement, judicial interference, and blatant misuse of power.
“It is these local authorities who are rotting the judicial system, not the president or the prime minister,” stated Janganito Dimasy Edmond, the founding president of the Sakalava Union. The association, which is composed primarily of local farmers, said its members have grown frustrated with the deterioration of institutions and the growing impunity of officials.
Among the most glaring examples cited by the UMS is the case of a 60 million ariary public market project in the Mitsinjo district of Boeny, which has reportedly shown no visible progress. In addition, a hospital financed through the Local Development Fund remains abandoned, and law enforcement officers are said to be working under severely inadequate conditions.
The Union expressed deep concern that the poorest communities continue to suffer while those in power, far from being held accountable, allegedly enrich themselves. “Local leaders are destroying development efforts,” the statement read.
In response to these alleged irregularities, the UMS is calling for the immediate launch of independent judicial investigations. The group has also vowed to file formal complaints against specific individuals believed to be involved in the wrongdoing.
“The time for rhetoric is over,” the Union said. “What we need now is concrete action against impunity.”
The UMS’s announcement is likely to raise pressure on both regional and national institutions to address the long-standing issues of governance and corruption in Madagascar’s northwest.
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