Ofure Akhigbe
An army colonel who seized power in a military coup has been sworn in as Madagascar’s new leader, completing a lightning-fast takeover that forced President Andry Rajoelina to flee the country.
Col. Michael Randrianirina, commander of an elite army unit, took the oath of office on Friday at the High Constitutional Court before nine red-robed judges. His swearing-in came just three days after he declared that the armed forces had assumed control of the island nation of about 30 million people.
The United Nations and African Union have condemned the military takeover as an unconstitutional change of government. The AU has suspended Madagascar, while the U.N. called for a return to constitutional order. France, the country’s former colonial ruler, has yet to issue a strong response.
Rajoelina’s whereabouts remain unknown. He reportedly fled Madagascar on a French military plane, claiming his life was in danger following the rebellion led by Randrianirina’s CAPSAT unit. Parliament voted to impeach Rajoelina on Tuesday, shortly before the colonel announced the military’s seizure of power.
Dressed in a dark suit and blue tie, Randrianirina, 50, was sworn in before senior military officers, civilian officials, and foreign diplomats. The colonel, who emerged from relative obscurity less than a week ago, had previously been imprisoned for three months in late 2023 for an attempted mutiny.
Madagascar, where the World Bank says about 75 percent of citizens live in poverty, has a long history of political instability marked by coups and attempted coups since independence from France in 1960. Rajoelina himself first came to power in 2009 after a military-backed coup.
Randrianirina has announced that the country will be governed by a military council for 18 to 24 months before fresh elections are held. He vowed to “restore the country to its former glory” and address insecurity and economic hardship.
The coup followed three weeks of protests, mostly led by young people angry over power outages, inflation, unemployment, and alleged government corruption. The colonel joined demonstrators last weekend, turning against Rajoelina.
Although one soldier was killed during a brief clash between loyalist forces and Randrianirina’s troops, there has been no widespread violence. Many citizens have welcomed the takeover, hailing the military as saviors of the nation.
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres reiterated his condemnation on Thursday, urging respect for “constitutional order and the rule of law.” The African Union said it “totally rejects” the military takeover.