Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said on Sunday that an “attempt to seize power illegally and by force” was underway.
His warning comes after a group of soldiers joined thousands of anti-government “Gen-Z” protesters in the capital. The protesters were angry over police brutality and lack of electricity and water.
The announcement came after the elite CAPSAT military unit published a statement saying it had control over the country’s entire military.
“From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army – whether land, air or military – will come from CAPSAT’s headquarters,” detachment officials said in a video statement.
What did the President of Madagascar say about the coup?
“The President of the Republic wishes to inform the nation and the international community that an attempt to seize power illegally and by force, contrary to the Constitution and democratic principles, is currently underway,” Rajoelina said in a statement released by the presidential office on Sunday morning.
Newly appointed Prime Minister Rupin Zafisambo said Saturday evening that the government “remains resolute” and is “ready to cooperate and listen to all forces – youth, unions and the military.” He warned that “Madagascar will not be able to withstand another crisis if this division among citizens continues.”
The president issued a statement assuring that President Andry Rajoelina “will remain in the country” and “will continue to manage national affairs.”
What is happening in Madagascar?
Saturday’s protest was one of the largest since the demonstrations began on September 25, when the youth-led Gen Z movement took to the streets over frequent water and electricity cuts. The rest has since evolved into a widespread demand for political change.
At least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the protests began, according to UN figures. Rajoelina disputed those figures on Wednesday, claiming there had been only 12 deaths and insisting that those killed were “all looters and rioters”.
On Saturday, soldiers from the CAPSAT unit, based in the Sonarana district on the outskirts of Antananarivo, left their barracks, “refusing orders to shoot” from security forces and condemning recent police actions.
This same base rebelled during the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power.
The soldiers clashed with gendarmes before moving into the city to join protesters gathered on the symbolic Place du 13 Mai in front of City Hall, where they were greeted with cheers and chants calling for Rajoelina’s resignation.
Rajoelina was installed by the army
Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest countries, has had a long history of political turmoil and popular rebellion since gaining independence from France in 1960.
In 2009, mass demonstrations ousted then-President Marc Ravalomanana from power, paving the way for the military to appoint Rajoelina to his first term. He later won re-election in 2018 and again in 2023, although both votes were marred by opposition challenges and allegations of irregularities.
Edited by: Darko Janjevic