Colonel Michael Randrianirina, the leader of Madagascar’s recent military rebellion, announced in an interview with The Associated Press that he is assuming the role of president. Speaking from his military barracks on Wednesday, he said he expects to be sworn in as the country’s new head of state within the next few days.
The colonel led a revolt by soldiers that removed President Andry Rajoelina from power, following weeks of public demonstrations driven largely by youth groups demanding political change. On Tuesday, Randrianirina declared that the armed forces had taken control of the government, marking a dramatic shift in the country’s leadership.
According to Randrianirina, the High Constitutional Court has invited him to serve as head of state after Rajoelina fled the country amid the uprising. “There must be an oath-taking to make my position official,” he said, explaining that the process will soon be formalized.
The protests reached their peak last weekend when Randrianirina and his elite CAPSAT military unit turned against the president and joined the demonstrators. This sudden move forced Rajoelina to flee Madagascar, leaving the capital in political uncertainty. “We had to act because there is nothing left — no president, no government, no leadership,” the colonel stated.
Rajoelina, who had governed since 2018, later confirmed that he had escaped to a safe location, claiming that he feared for his life after the military mutiny. He denounced the takeover as an illegal power grab led by a rebel faction.
Randrianirina assured that the military intends to form a new civilian government soon. He said a prime minister would be appointed to lead the administration, although he did not provide a timeline. “What I can say is that we are moving quickly so that this crisis does not drag on,” he said.
Madagascar has a long history of political instability, marked by multiple coups and attempted coups since it gained independence from France in 1960. The country continues to struggle with widespread poverty and fragile governance. Ironically, Rajoelina himself rose to prominence in 2009 after a military-backed coup, positioning himself then as a voice of the younger generation.
The international response to the latest takeover has been muted. The African Union’s Peace and Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday but has yet to issue a formal statement.
Observers have expressed concern that the military’s intervention undermines democratic processes. Some experts believe that the protests reflected deep social frustration rather than a call for military involvement. “Gen-Zers in Madagascar have been on the streets for weeks, protesting the lack of basic services like water and electricity and how it affects their lives,” said Olufemi Taiwo, professor of Africana studies at Cornell University.
He warned that the crisis should be resolved through civil dialogue rather than military force. “This is a civil society uprising, and its resolution should not involve the army,” he said, urging the African Union to denounce what he described as yet another unnecessary coup in Africa and calling on other nations to withhold recognition from the new military regime.
