From Antananarivo, the capital city of Madagascar, CEOAFRICA.com received a report that the incumbent President Andry Rajoelina, along with Lalao Ravalomanana and Didier Ratsiraka have been disqualified from participating at the presidential election coming up this Friday.
 
According to reports, the ruling which was announced on Sunday by the Madagascar court said Rajoelina's submission of candidacy papers in May came too late for the election, while Lalao and Ratsiranka were disqualified because they had not lived in Madagascar for the required six month period before their nominations.

Rajoelina has served as leader of the island nation since 2009, when he ousted president Marc Ravalomanana in a military-backed coup.
 
Lalao Ravalomanana returned to her country in April to compete in the election, ending a self-imposed exile in South Africa. Ratsiraka also returned to Madagascar earlier this year after 11 years of exile in France.
 
However, Madagascar's regional and international partners had criticized the candidacies of the trio because of their links to the country's troubled past. The 2009 coup led to Madagascar's regional isolation and suspension from the African Union and a downturn in its vital tourism industry.
 
Meanwhile, the disqualification has been acknowledged as a welcomed development by the African Union, seeing it as a step toward holding a presidential election that can end Madagascar's crisis. Controversies surrounding the candidacies had forced authorities to delay the vote until August 23. It was not clear if the court's latest move will lead to another delay.
 
Also, the court disqualified other five candidates from the vote and parties were given three days to nominate replacements.