Madagascar’s military has announced seizure of state power. A Malagasy military officer Colonel Michael Randrianirina announced today that state power in Madagascar has been taken over by a military council. Earlier in the day, the Presidency of Madagascar announced the dissolution of the National Assembly, the lower house of the bicameral Malagasy parliament.
The dissolution announcement came when the National Assembly was in the process of collecting signatures to convene an extraordinary session aimed at impeaching the head of state. Local media agencies quoted Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, Vice President of the National Assembly, as saying that the dissolution decree was devoid of legal validity due to the absence of formal validation. Protests erupted in Madagascar in late September, initially triggered by widespread power outages and water shortages. The demonstrations have since escalated, taking on a political dimension with calls for government reform and leadership change.
The protests took a new turn on Saturday, with an army regiment declaring its support for and protection of the protesters against what were described as abuses by security forces. Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said in a video posted on social media yesterday that he has taken refuge in a safe location to ensure his security after an assassination attempt against him.
Meanwhile, the African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has expressed deep concern over the escalating tensions in Madagascar, calling for restraint and dialogue to end ongoing protests.
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