MADAGASCAR CRISIS DEEPENS AS ARMY UNIT SEIZES COMMAND AMID PRESIDENT’S POWER GRAB CLAIMS

“From now on, all orders of the Malagasy army – whether land, air or [naval] – will originate from CAPSAT headquarters,” officers from the administrative and technical contingent said in a video message on Sunday.

The declaration came hours after the presidency accused unnamed forces of attempting to overthrow President Andry Rajoelina. In a statement, the presidency said “an attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” was under way in the African nation, without providing details.

The crisis marks the gravest threat to Rajoelina’s rule since his disputed 2023 reelection, with the very soldiers who installed him through a 2009 coup now turning against him.

On Saturday, military personnel from the CAPSAT, an influential army unit urged their comrades to stop following orders and instead back the youth-led uprising.

“We have become bootlickers,” some members of the unit said in a video posted on social media. “We have chosen to submit and execute orders, even illegal ones, instead of protecting the population and their property.”

“Do not obey orders from your superiors. Point your weapons at those who order you to fire on your comrades in arms because they will not take care of our families if we die,” they said.

Prime Minister Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo, a military general appointed after Rajoelina dismissed his predecessor under pressure from demonstrators, said the government was “fully ready to listen and engage in dialogue with all factions – youth, unions or the military”.

Madagascar’s military has a well-documented history of stepping into the political arena during times of instability, playing a key role in multiple power transitions since the nation’s independence in 1960. This includes supporting coups in the 1970s and a significant intervention in 2009, when it facilitated the removal of President Marc Ravalomanana and the rise of reformist mayor Rajoelina to power.

In recent times, the military has largely remained on the sidelines, yet it continues to wield considerable influence over the country’s frequently unstable political environment.

Protests kicked off in late September over persistent water and power shortages, quickly growing into the most serious challenge to Rajoelina’s leadership since his controversial re-election in 2023. According to the IMF, only about one-third of Madagascar’s population has access to electricity, with daily blackouts often exceeding eight hours.

Ketakandriana Rafitoson, global vice chair of Transparency International, highlighted the crisis to Reuters, noting, “People lack refrigeration for medicine, clean water for hygiene, and face rampant corruption.”

Last week, President Rajoelina urged protesters to grant him a year to address their concerns, promising to resign if his efforts to restore public trust fall short.

Tensions have risen as security forces have repeatedly confronted demonstrators, deploying tear gas and rubber bullets. The United Nations reports at least 22 deaths and over 100 injuries since the unrest began on September 25, though the government contests these numbers.