JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — In a dramatic turn of events, the army in Madagascar has taken control of the nation following President Andry Rajoelina’s flight amid ongoing anti-government protests. Repeated demonstrations against the government had intensified over the past weeks, with widespread discontent regarding crippling water and electricity shortages.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, representing the elite military unit CAPSAT, announced that the army would establish a committee integrating both military and police leaders to facilitate a swift transition to a civilian government.
The military intervention came just minutes after the Malagasy parliament overwhelmingly voted to impeach Rajoelina for abandoning his position as president, having gone into hiding after his purported escape from the country over the weekend. Interestingly, Rajoelina attempted to stave off impeachment by dissolving the lower house of parliament, a move deemed ineffective by lawmakers.
In a social media address, Rajoelina acknowledged being in hiding, but despite the army’s announcement, a statement was released on the official Facebook page of the presidency claiming it was a coup d’etat and maintaining that Rajoelina was still in charge.
The protests, notably led by Madagascar’s youth, have been described as
image source from：npr
