Madagascar Empire Officer who seized, says he will become president

(Bloomberg) -Colonel Michael Randrianirina, whose hosts seized Madagascar on Tuesday after weeks of deadly protests against the government, said he would be sworn in as president. “We will probably take an oath soon,” he told reporters in Antananarivo, the capital on Wednesday. “But that’s not our biggest concern now. What is important to us today works to solve social problems. ‘ Randrianirina told The Associated Press earlier that he was taking the post of president. His comments followed a request Tuesday by the Constitutional Court that he accepted the role of the head of state after President Andry Rajoelina hid. The 51-year-old former nightclub DJ stated that a coup was underway and took refuge after the colonel’s unit publicly supported the so-called Gen Z protesters. Demonstrations broke out last month at the Indian Ocean Island Nation located outside Mozambique, as frustration over water and power shortages sent thousands of young people on the streets, escalating into clashes with security forces in which at least 22 people died. The eruption of anger over a lack of basic services and corruption of the government reflects the recent backlash in youth in countries, including Morocco, Indonesia, Nepal and Kenya. Local media said life returned to the capital on Wednesday and the protesters began to pay out. “We are holding consultations to find a prime minister quickly so that we can immediately appoint government members and start working,” the Colonel said. “Without a government, it’s hard to move forward.” The residence of Rajoelina, who condemned the army’s takeover, remains unclear. He said in a social media post on Monday that he withdrew to a safe place after discovering a plot against his life and implicating that he had left the country. Radio France International reported on Monday that the president was evacuated by a French military aircraft the previous day at the request of President Emmanuel Macron. France, the former colonial power, did not confirm that it played a role. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries on the planet, with four of the five residents living under the poverty line, according to the World Bank. It has had several military coups since they gained independence in 1960. Sign in here for the twice a weekly next African newsletter, and subscribe to the next African podcast on Apple, Spotify or everywhere you listen. -With help from Helen Nyambura. More stories like these are available on Bloomberg.com © 2025 Bloomberg LP