Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who seized power after mutinying and forcing Rajoelina to flee, announced on Tuesday a 28-member cabinet that includes several ex-ministers and the former president’s right-hand man.
Madagascar’s new military ruler has unveiled a cabinet dominated by veterans of past administrations, retaining many figures from the country’s political elite despite calls for a fresh start after President Andry Rajoelina’s ouster.
Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who seized power after mutinying and forcing Rajoelina to flee, announced on Tuesday a 28-member cabinet that includes several ex-ministers and the former president’s right-hand man.
“We will prosecute those guilty of corruption and recover the assets they have acquired through corrupt practices,” Randrianirina vowed during his speech at the presidential palace in Iavoloha.
His announcement came despite demands from “Gen Z” protesters — whose movement against power cuts and economic stagnation led to Rajoelina’s downfall — for a clean break from the old guard.
Several key figures from the Rajoelina era have made a comeback, fuelling skepticism over the new administration’s commitment to reform.
The foreign affairs portfolio went to Christine Razanamahasoa, a former justice minister under Rajoelina and twice National Assembly Speaker, who was later expelled from his party after a political rift.
The anti-corruption brief falls to Justice Minister Fanirisoa Ernaivo, a lawyer and former judge returning from exile in France.
Randrianirina, once Rajoelina’s enforcer known for his crackdown on cattle rustlers, now pledges to “hand power back to civilians after two years.”
He has also promised to prioritise energy, health, tourism, security, and anti-corruption measures, giving his ministers two months to deliver results.
Earlier, Madagascar’s presidency declared that an “attempted illegal and forcible seizure of power” is underway, though no evidence was provided to support the claim.
The announcement came just one day after members of the military joined a protest movement that began last month, according to Al Jazeera.
In a statement, President Andry Rajoelina accused unidentified actors of orchestrating a coup attempt, following the public defection of soldiers who aligned themselves with demonstrators calling for his resignation.
Among the dissenting forces were troops from the elite CAPSAT unit, the same group that played a pivotal role in Rajoelina’s rise to power during the 2009 coup.
These soldiers have now urged their peers to defy orders and support the youth-led protests, which began on September 25 and represent the most significant challenge to Rajoelina’s leadership since his reelection in 2023.
Groups of Madagascar soldiers had joined thousands of protesters in the capital, Antananarivo, vowing to defy any orders to open fire on civilians, AFP reported.
The latest round of youth-led demonstrations drew massive crowds in what has become one of the largest protests since the movement erupted on September 25 across the Indian Ocean island nation.
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