Reuters

<p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-position: inherit; font-variant-emoji: inherit; font-weight: 400; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 16px; line-height: 2; font-family: Knowledge; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;" id="isPasted"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font: inherit;">ANTANANARIVO:<span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgba(59,130,246,.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-size: 18px; line-height: inherit; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size-adjust: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">&nbsp;Madagascar&#39;s coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on Friday to cheers, blaring trumpets and raised swords, days after taking control of the island nation in the wake of youth-led protests that forced out his predecessor.Ex-leader Andry Rajoelina, whom lawmakers impeached after he fled abroad at the weekend, has condemned the takeover and refused to step down while in exile, despite widespread defections in the security forces and the High Constitutional Court ratifying the army takeover within hours of it happening. The African Union and the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have condemned the coup, which came after weeks of &quot;Gen Z&quot; protests initially triggered by severe, chronic power and water shortages. <span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#000000;background-color:#ffffff;font-weight:700;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre;white-space:pre-wrap;" id="isPasted">Military-led committee to rule for up to two years&quot;I will fully, completely, and justly fulfil the high responsibilities of my position as President of the Republic of Madagascar,&quot; Randrianirina said in a ceremony at the High Constitutional Court, a colonial-era red-brick building of French windows, segmental arches and stone balustrades. &quot;I swear that I will exercise the power entrusted to me and dedicate all my strength to defending and strengthening national unity and human rights,&quot; he added, before military officers raised swords and trumpets blared to mark the handover. While many of the youths cheered the demise of Rajoelina&#39;s administration, which came to office in a 2009 coup, some are already expressing misgivings about the swiftness with which the army stepped in to fill the power vacuum. Randrianirina had said earlier that the military had taken power and dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament, or National Assembly. He also said that a committee led by the military would rule for up to two years alongside a transitional government before organising new elections. Elite Army UnitRandrianirina was a commander in the elite CAPSAT army unit that played a role in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to power but broke ranks with him last week, urging soldiers not to fire on protesters. Madagascar&#39;s population of about 30 million people has an average age of less than 20 years. Three-quarters of the people live in poverty, and the average income is barely $600 a month while prices of basic goods such as the staple rice have spiralled. Between its independence in 1960 and 2020, GDP per capita plunged 45%, according to the World Bank, one of the few countries to have become worse off over that period.

Madagascar's new military ruler, Colonel Michael Randrianirina, reacts as he takes a seat after being sworn in as president on Friday, taking over from Andry Rajoelina following a coup that ousted him, at the constitutional court in Antananarivo, Madagasc

Africa

Madagascar's coup leader Colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as president on Friday to cheers, blaring trumpets and raised swords, days after taking control of the island nation in the wake of youth-led protests that forced out his predecessor.

Madagascar coup leader Randrianirina sworn in as president

ANTANANARIVO: Military officers who seized power in Madagascar in a protest crisis said their leader would be sworn in as the country&#39;s new president on Friday. The military leadership under Colonel Michael Randrianirina has promised elections within two years after President Andry Rajoelina was impeached following weeks of popular demonstrations. The international community voiced alarm, with the United Nations censuring what it called an &quot;unconstitutional&quot; takeover. The poor Indian Ocean nation was plunged into its worst political upheaval in years after the CAPSAT elite military unit took power moments after parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina on Tuesday. The 51-year-old president, in power since 2009, appeared to have fled the country as street protests escalated. Madagascar is the latest of several former French colonies to have fallen under military control since 2020, after coups in Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Gabon and Guinea. CAPSAT commander Randrianirina will be sworn in as transitional president during a &quot;solemn hearing&quot; of the country&#39;s top court on Friday, the new leadership said on Wednesday. It made the announcement in a statement attributed to the &quot;Presidential Council for the Refoundation of the Republic of Madagascar&quot; and signed by Randrianirina himself. The colonel has said the transition to civilian leadership would take under two years and include the restructuring of major institutions. &quot;It wasn&#39;t a coup, it was a case of taking responsibility because the country was on the brink of collapse,&quot; Randrianirina said on television earlier on Wednesday. He pledged elections in 18 to 24 months and told local media that consultations were under way to appoint a prime minister and form a new government. International concern Randrianirina had long been a vocal critic of Rajoelina&#39;s administration and was reportedly imprisoned for several months in 2023 for plotting a coup. His swift takeover drew international concern. The African Union on Wednesday told AFP it was suspending Madagascar &quot;with immediate effect.&quot; The United Nations said they were &quot;deeply concerned by the unconstitutional change of power.&quot; The capital Antananarivo remained calm on Wednesday, though uncertainty lingered over what might come next. A concert was held on the symbolic Place du 13 Mai square, in front of the city hall, where thousands of protesters and armed vehicles had clashed days before. The youth-led Gen Z movement that initiated the protests on September 25 over lack of water and energy welcomed Randrianirina&#39;s intervention. The colonel had said he is &quot;ready to talk to the youth and we are ready to answer the call,&quot; Gen Z said in a post on Facebook, reiterating its calls for &quot;systemic change.&quot; &quot;We&#39;re worried about what comes next, but we&#39;re savoring this first victory that gave us hope,&quot; 26-year-old Fenitra Razafindramanga, captain of Madagascar&#39;s national rugby team, told AFP. In the northern city of Antsiranana, an entrepreneur who identified herself only as Muriella was relieved that Rajoelina was no longer in power. &quot;It feels like we&#39;ve just been released from prison,&quot; she told AFP, adding: &quot;This is also a message to his successor: learn from this and don&#39;t make the same mistakes.&quot; Rajoelina&#39;s location unknown Rajoelina&#39;s office said on Wednesday the constitutional court&#39;s decision was riddled with procedural illegalities and risked destabilizing the country. &quot;This decision, tainted by multiple defects in both substance and form, is illegal, irregular, and unconstitutional,&quot; it said. Rajoelina first came to power in a 2009 military-backed coup denounced by the international community. He was elected president in 2018 and re-elected in disputed polls in 2023. In recent weeks he resisted mounting calls to step down, saying in a national address from an unknown location on Monday that he was seeking solutions to Madagascar&#39;s problems. Amid reports that he had been helped to leave with assistance from France, the former colonial power, he said he was in a &quot;safe place to protect my life.&quot;

International community voices alarm, with the UN censuring what it called an "unconstitutional" takeover.



Madagascar vows to install colonel as president after takeover

ANTANANARIVO: Hundreds of protesters across Madagascar demanded the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina on Wednesday, taking to the streets for a fifth day of demonstrations that have shaken the government, local television broadcasts showed. Spurred by the so-called youth-led &quot;Gen Z&quot; protests in Kenya and Nepal, the demonstrations have been the largest the Indian Ocean island has seen in years, and the most serious challenge Rajoelina has faced since his re-election in 2023. The protests initially started in Antananarivo last week over nationwide water shortages and power blackouts but have since spread across the island, prompting Rajoelina to dissolve the government late on Monday. His move failed to assuage public anger. A message on the protest movement&#39;s Facebook page called for Rajoelina&#39;s resignation as well as the dissolution of the election commission, the senate and the country&#39;s top court. Protesters chant &lsquo;Rajoelina out&rsquo; The United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the protests started last week, figures the government rejects. On Wednesday, protesters took to the streets in the capital and towns including Toliara, 925 km (575 miles) south of Antananarivo, chanting &quot;get out&quot; and waving flags and banners with the words &quot;Rajoelina Out&quot;, footage broadcast by privately-owned Radio T&eacute;l&eacute;vision Siteny showed. They were escorted by security forces in vehicles, and other protesters in rickshaws, the footage showed. A government spokesperson did not respond to Reuters requests for comment, however the president&#39;s spokesperson Lova Ranoromaro said on social media that property had been destroyed and homes looted. &quot;We do not want a coup d&#39;etat, because a coup d&#39;etat destroys a nation, because a coup d&#39;etat destroys the future of our children,&quot; Ranoromaro wrote on her personal Facebook account. Opposition leader Rivo Rakotovao said the main opposition parties&#39; alliance Firaisankina would not join any new government with Rajoelina in power, and called on him to step down. &quot;We fully support this action to rescue the Malagasy people and rebuild the nation, led by the Malagasy people and driven by the youth,&quot; Rakotovao told a news conference. Rajoelina first came to power in a 2009 coup. He stepped down in 2014 but became president again after winning the 2018 election, and secured a third term in a December 2023 poll that his challengers said was marred by irregularities. In a message from the Vatican, Pope Leo said he was saddened by the violent clashes in the predominantly Christian nation. &quot;Let us pray to the Lord that every form of violence may always be avoided and that the constant pursuit of social harmony may be fostered through the promotion of justice and the common good,&quot; he said in his weekly address.

A protester kicks a tear gas canister lobbed by Malagasy riot police officers to disperse protesters during a demonstration against frequent power outages and water shortages, within Antaninandro neighborhood, in Antananarivo, Madagascar. (Reuters)

Protests entered fifth day in Madagascar as the public demanded President Rajoelina’s resignation over water shortages and blackouts. Over 22 have been reported dead even as government reshuffled.

Articles tagged with "Madagascar"

Madagascar coup leader Randrianirina sworn in as president

Madagascar vows to install colonel as president after takeover

Madagascar protesters demand president's resignation in fifth day of rallies