Military wins, Rajoelina flees
Madagascar’s president has fled, alleging a coup by the same army unit that brought him to power in 2009.
Riana Raymonde Randrianarisoa in Antananarivo
Weeks of protests by Malagasy youth have culminated in the dissolution of the government and the impeachment of the president, Andry Rajoelina.
On Monday, the 51-year-old former DJ and coup leader announced in a live Facebook broadcast that he was sheltering in a “safe location” after an attempt on his life. Rajoelina did not disclose his whereabouts, but claimed “a group of armed forces threatened to take control of the state-owned media”. Local media believe he was flown out on a French military aircraft, first fleeing to Mauritius and, ultimately, to the United Arab Emirates.
Before the military takeover, Rajoelina’s office tried to assert that he was still in control. “The president of the republic remains fully in office and ensures the maintenance of constitutional order and national stability,” it said. “The presence of armed military forces in front of the presidential palace constitutes a clear act of attempted coup d’etat.”
Within hours of the broadcast, a specialised army unit, which was instrumental in bringing Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup, said it had taken control of the military. On Saturday, members of the Corps d’administration des personnels et des services administratifs et techniques, or Capsat, accompanied demonstrators into the iconic 13 May Square in the capital, Antananarivo, defying official orders to shoot protesters. That Capsat soldiers backed the protesters marked a significant shift in the protests.
Capsat head Colonel Michael Randrianirina publicly declared the military’s refusal to follow orders. “We refuse to be a means of repression,” he said. “We are against the violence and the ban [on] free speech.”
Capsat then appointed General Démosthène Pikulas as the new chief of defence staff, and Mamelisoa Mbina Nonos as commander-in-chief of the gendarmerie. Without the backing of the police and the army, Rajoelina was out of options and the mutiny was complete.
A loss of power
Madagascar’s youth-led protests mirror a global trend of Gen-Z protest movements, including in Kenya, Morocco, and Nepal.
The Malagasy protests were sparked by the arrest of two municipal councillors for trying to stage a symbolic protest against water and electricity cuts. Bàbà Rakotoarisoa, Clémence Raharinirina, and Lily Rafaralahy took water cans from Antananarivo city hall to the Senate in Anosy on 18 September.
Two of the three councillors were arrested the next day as they headed to Antananarivo’s police headquarters to seek permission for a gathering on 25 September. The arrests fuelled public outrage and galvanised youth into action. Mass protests erupted across the country, led by social media influencers and activists.
In response to mounting pressure, Rajoelina dismissed the energy minister on 26 September. Days later, the president dissolved the government. Before the army announced it was taking power, the National Assembly voted to impeach Rajoelina. All but one member voted for the impeachment. That includes his own party.
Protesters were not satisfied, escalating their demands to include the president’s resignation.
The security forces, including the gendarmerie, police, and army, cracked down on protesters, using tear gas and rubber bullets. The United Nations reported 22 deaths and more than 400 injuries on the first day of mass demonstrations. The government disputed the death toll.
Since its independence in 1960, the former French colony has weathered political upheaval. By 2009, it was on its third coup – after ones in 1971 and 1975. The bloodless coup that deposed Marc Ravalomanana made the then 34-year-old opposition leader Rajoelina the world’s youngest leader. Rajoelina stepped down in 2013, but returned after the 2018 elections.
What happens now?
Several organisations and African states have called for calm, respect for constitutional order, and dialogue. African Union chair Mahmoud Ali Youssouf expressed his “deep concern” and condemned “any attempt at unconstitutional changes of government in the country”. The AU has since suspended the island nation from its membership.
Rajoelina was holding the rotating presidency for the Southern African Development Community. SADC said it was following the developments in Madagascar “with grave concern” and had “profound solidarity with the people” of the country.
Capsat has suspended all democratic institutions – the senate, the electoral commission, and the constitutional court – except for the lower house of parliament, which had voted to impeach Rajoelina.
The unit said it would form a ruling commission comprising leaders from the army, police, and security forces. On Friday, Randrianirina was sworn in as president.