Military Takes Over Power In Madagascar
An elite military unit in Madagascar says it has taken over power, ousting President Andry Rajoelina
It has suspended key democratic institutions, including the constitutional court and the electoral commission
Lawmakers in the national assembly earlier voted to impeach Rajoelina.
His whereabouts are unclear, on Monday evening he made a live broadcast to the nation on Facebook from a “safe place”
Making the take over announcement Tuesday , Colonel Michael Randrianirina,said that state power in the country has been taken over by a military council comprising members of the army, gendarmerie and national police.
“We will form a government and reach consensus”, Col Michael Randrianirina has told reporters in Madagascar after announcing that his elite unit, CAPSAT, had seized power.
Asked if they would hold elections, he replied, “of course”. This will happen within the next “18 months to two years”, he said.
Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. The demonstrations have since escalated, taking on a political dimension with calls for government reform and leadership change.
The protests took a new turn on Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for and protection of the protesters against what were described as abuses by security forces.
In a statement on Sunday, the Malagasy Presidency said that an “attempt to seize power illegally and by force” was underway in Madagascar. It called on all the vital forces of the nation to “rally together to defend the constitutional order and national sovereignty.”
On Monday, Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said in a video posted on social media that he has taken refuge in a “safe location” to ensure his security after an assassination attempt against him.
Meanwhile, the African Union (AU) Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions in Madagascar, calling for restraint and dialogue to end ongoing protests.
The chairperson made the call during an urgent session of the AU Peace and Security Council, according to a statement issued late Monday.
Youssouf reaffirmed the AU’s firm rejection of any unconstitutional change of government and called on all Malagasy actors,; civil, military and political to exercise restraint and engage in dialogue within the constitutional framework.
He said that the AU stands ready, in coordination with the Southern African Development Community and the Indian Ocean Commission to support a peaceful, inclusive and African-led solution to the crisis.
