REGIONAL | Madagascar’s Military Coup Leader Declares Himself President After Rajoelina’s Flight
Madagascar has entered a new phase of political upheaval after Colonel Michael Randrianirina, commander of the Army Personnel Administration Center (CAPSAT), declared himself interim president following a military takeover that forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the capital.
Speaking to The Associated Press from his barracks in Antananarivo, Colonel Randrianirina said he would assume the position of head of state after the country’s High Constitutional Court invited him to fill the power vacuum left by Rajoelina’s departure. He indicated that a swearing-in ceremony would take place within days, marking a decisive break in the island nation’s fragile democracy.
“We did not wake up to fight, but to answer the call of the citizens,” Randrianirina told reporters. “This is not politics, but pure patriotism.
The presidency, however, swiftly condemned the military’s action as an “illegal declaration” and a “manifest act of attempted coup d’état.” In a strongly worded statement, the presidential office described CAPSAT as a “faction of military rebels” whose actions constituted “a serious violation of republican legality and the oath sworn by each soldier to protect the nation.”
The standoff erupted after parliament moved to impeach President Rajoelina earlier this week, sparking unrest in the capital. CAPSAT forces stormed the Ambohitsorohitra Presidential Palace, announcing the suspension of the constitution and assuming control of the government. The president reportedly fled Antananarivo amid the uprising, with unconfirmed reports suggesting he has sought refuge abroad.
The coup comes against a backdrop of mounting public anger over worsening power cuts, water shortages, and economic stagnation, which have triggered nationwide protests over the past months. CAPSAT leaders have justified their intervention as a response to “the people’s suffering and government indifference.”
Colonel Randrianirina has pledged to maintain order, prevent reprisals, and open dialogue with civil society. “We are open for discussion. Discipline remains in place, but we stand with the people,” he said.
The United Nations, African Union, and regional governments have expressed deep concern, urging restraint and a swift return to constitutional order. Diplomatic sources say neighboring countries are monitoring troop movements closely amid fears of instability spreading in the region.
Madagascar, which has experienced multiple coups since independence in 1960, now faces one of its most uncertain moments in decades, a test of whether military intervention can once again reshape the nation’s political destiny or plunge it deeper into isolation.
© The People’s Brief | Regional —Ollus R. Ndomu