Madagascar’s political crisis deepened on Monday as
President Andry Rajoelina failed to appear in public for several days,
sparking speculation that he may have fled the country amid weeks of
anti-government protests.
The demonstrations, which began over chronic power
and water shortages, have evolved into a broader movement demanding
Rajoelina’s resignation.
According to Radio France Internationale,
Rajoelina reportedly left Madagascar on a French military plane over the
weekend, though French and Malagasy officials have not confirmed this.
In the capital, Antananarivo, jubilant
crowds—including mutinous soldiers—gathered on Monday at City Hall in
anticipation of the president’s resignation. Some members of the CAPSAT army
unit, instrumental in Rajoelina’s 2009 coup, joined the protesters, while
gendarmerie officers admitted to “faults and excesses” in their earlier
crackdown on demonstrators.
The United Nations said at least 22 people
have been killed since protests began on September 25, though Rajoelina
has claimed only 12 confirmed deaths, which he described as “looters and
vandals.”
The 51-year-old president, who first took power
through a military-backed coup in 2009 and later won two elections, was
expected to address the nation Monday evening. His speech was twice delayed,
citing threats to seize state media and ongoing negotiations.
Amid mounting pressure, Rajoelina on Monday pardoned
eight prisoners, including Paul Maillot Rafanoharana, a
French-Malagasy dual national convicted in 2021 for an attempted coup—an act
seen as an attempt to ease tensions with France.
Many protesters, led by the Gen Z movement,
insist the president must “apologise and resign” before any new
elections can be held.
The African Union and South Africa have
voiced concern over the unrest, urging Madagascar’s armed forces to “uphold
their constitutional mandate” and stay out of political affairs.
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