ANTANANARIVO: Madagascar is adjusting to a new era of military rule following an elite army unit’s seizure of power after President Andry Rajoelina’s impeachment.
The CAPSAT military contingent assumed control immediately after parliamentarians overwhelmingly voted to impeach Rajoelina, who appears to have fled the island nation.
The capital Antananarivo remained calm early Wednesday despite uncertainty about future developments and international expressions of concern.
CAPSAT commander Colonel Michael Randrianirina became the new de facto president of the impoverished country and outlined a transition period under two years.
He pledged elections within 18 to 24 months and announced plans for a committee of officers from the army, gendarmerie and police to oversee the transition.
Randrianirina stated the committee would seek a consensus prime minister to form a new government during this interim period.
The constitutional court validated his authority after accepting the parliamentary vote against Rajoelina.
Randrianirina had been a vocal critic of Rajoelina’s administration and was reportedly imprisoned for several months from November 2023 for inciting military mutiny.
The presidency denounced the power seizure as a clear act of attempted coup and insisted Rajoelina remains fully in office despite his unknown whereabouts.
The United Nations expressed concern about any unconstitutional change of power while waiting for the situation to clarify.
The SADC regional security body, which Rajoelina was leading, said it was particularly alarmed by reports of an attempted coup d’etat.
Human Rights Watch called on military leaders to respect and protect the rights of all Malagasy people following the power change.
The youth-led movement that initiated protests over water and energy shortages welcomed Randrianirina’s intervention.
Rajoelina, re-elected in disputed 2023 polls, originally came to power in a 2009 military-backed coup that drew international condemnation.
He resisted mounting calls to step down, stating in a Monday address from an unknown location that he was seeking solutions to Madagascar’s problems.
Amid reports of French assistance for his departure, Rajoelina confirmed he was in a safe place to protect his life. – AFP
