Madagascar’s military has taken command of the African island nation, an army colonel announced Tuesday, as the Gen Z-led protest movement reached a crescendo over the weekend.
“We have taken power,” Colonel Michael Randrianrina, of the army’s CAPSAT unit, said on national radio.
Randyanirina said the military was dissolving all institutions except the lower house of parliament, shortly after lawmakers voted to impeach President Andry Rajoelina, who had earlier fled the country, saying he feared for his life.
The President condemned the military takeover as an “attempted coup” and said the President was still in office.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rajoelina had announced the dissolution of the National Assembly, an attempt to prevent an impeachment vote.
The army said what will happen next?
Randrianarina said the elite military unit to which he belongs, CAPSAT, would form a committee made up of officers from the army, the paramilitary Gendarmerie and the National Police.
Randrianirina said in his statement, “Perhaps over time, senior civilian advisors will be included in it. This committee will do the work of the presidency itself.” “Also, after a few days we will establish a civilian government.”
He said that the Prime Minister will be appointed soon.
Reuters news agency said the military suspended the country’s Senate, high constitutional court, electoral body and other state institutions, leaving the National Assembly as the only functioning legislative body.
On Tuesday, 130 members of Parliament voted in favor of impeaching the president, well above the two-thirds constitutional threshold required to do so.
The President declared the Assembly meeting unconstitutional and said any resolution is “null and void” because the President has dissolved the National Assembly.
Later on Tuesday, the High Constitutional Court announced That the post of President was now vacant, the army was invited under the leadership of Randrianariina to exercise the functions of head of state.
Madagascar’s president condemns ‘coup attempt’
The president condemned the military takeover in a Facebook statement, and stressed that Rajoelina would remain the country’s president.
“The presence of armed forces in front of the presidential palace is a clear act of an attempted coup,” it said.
It states, “The President of the Republic remains in office solely and ensures the maintenance of the constitutional order and national stability.”
What do we know about the protest movement?
Rajoelina was the former mayor of the capital Antananarivo. CAPSAT played a key role in the 2009 coup that brought him to power.
Protests against them began on 25 September, but reached a peak over the weekend, when soldiers and security forces, including CAPSAT, joined in.
Protesters initially rallied against electricity and water shortages, then began calling on Rajoelina and other government ministers to step down.
On Monday, without disclosing his location, said he was in a “safe location” following the attempts on his life.
Reports of fresh involvement further increased opposition from civil servants and trade unionists.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar