Soldiers threaten to take over government TV in Madagascar, presidency says, amid alerts of coup attempt

National turmoil in Madagascar
Young people led national rallies demanding a better deal for the population

Soldiers have threatened to take control of the state TV headquarters in Madagascar as President Andry Rajoelina was expected to speak to the nation, his staff confirms, amid unofficial information that he has departed from the country.

A foreign military aircraft is believed to have airlifted Rajoelina from the Indian Ocean island to an undisclosed location, following a 14 days of nationwide demonstrations intended to kicking him out of power.

His unsuccessful attempts to calm young protesters - dubbed "Gen Z Mada" - saw him fire his whole government and make other compromises to without success.

On Sunday, his office said an endeavor was ongoing to force him out of power. He has not been spotted in visible since Wednesday.

Rajoelina's scheduled speech to the nation has been put off numerous times - it was initially due at 1900 local time (1600 GMT).

Over the weekend, a influential army division - called CAPSAT - that assisted establish Rajoelina in power in 2009 moved to undermine him by declaring itself in command of all the army, while some of its members aligned with activists on the avenues of the capital, Antananarivo.

Subsequent to a meeting of military commanders on Monday, the new Military Commander appointed by CAPSAT, Gen Demosthene Pikulas, guaranteed the public that the security forces were working together to preserve stability in the island nation.

By Monday night, the commander was at state TV building working to settle the emergency, according to a statement from the presidential office.

Communicating on basis of privacy, a top official in Madagascar's largest rival party informed that Madagascar was now practically being governed by CAPSAT.

The TIM party has furthermore stated it intends to bring impeachment proceedings against Rajoelina for "abandonment of position".

Several of Rajoelina's inner circle have escaped to nearby Mauritius. They consist of former Cabinet Head Richard Ravalomanana and the executive Maminiaina Ravatomanga.

Regardless of its rich natural resources, Madagascar is one of the most impoverished countries in the world. About 75% of people there live below the economic hardship level, while statistics shows just over one-third of people have opportunity to electricity.

The protests began over anger with repeated water and power cuts, then intensified to demonstrate broader unhappiness with Rajoelina's regime over elevated unemployment, corruption, and the economic crisis.

At least 22 individuals were killed and more than 100 wounded in the opening days of the rallies, although the authorities has rejected these figures.

Witnesses describe police using weapons on civilians with real bullets. In a particular situation, a baby died from respiratory issues after being affected by tear gas.

Madagascar has been impacted by numerous protests since it obtained independence in 1960, encompassing extensive protests in 2009 that forced then-President Marc Ravalomanana to leave office and saw Rajoelina brought into office.

Being just 34 at the moment, Rajoelina became Africa's most youthful leader - continuing to lead for four years, then resuming to power a second time after the 2018 election.

Rajoelina was raised in wealth and, earlier than joining politics, had established himself for himself as an business owner and DJ - setting up a radio station and an advertising company along the way.

But his well-dressed, baby-faced attraction rapidly waned, as claims of nepotism and deep-rooted corruption became ongoing.

Additional information about Madagascar's emergency:

  • About the Gen Z demonstrators who want to compel Madagascar's leader from power
  • Military general designated as Madagascar PM to quell Gen Z rallies
Emily Thompson
Emily Thompson

Tech enthusiast and cloud security expert with over a decade of experience in digital storage solutions.