Madagascar Rocked by Military Mutiny as Youth-Led Protests spiral into Coup Attempt

Madagascar was thrown into turmoil on Sunday after soldiers joined weeks of youth-led protests, prompting President Andry Rajoelina’s government to denounce what it called an attempt to seize power by force.

The unrest, which began late last month as demonstrations over power and water shortages, has rapidly evolved into a nationwide movement demanding Rajoelina’s resignation.

Protesters, mostly young people frustrated by high unemployment and rising living costs, have filled the streets of Antananarivo and other cities for days, defying curfews and tear gas.

Tensions escalated when soldiers from the army’s personnel and technical services unit declared they were siding with the protesters and no longer recognised the authority of senior commanders.

Military trucks were seen stationed near key government buildings as crowds cheered the troops’ defection.

The presidency said it had foiled an attempt by “a faction within the military” to overthrow the government, calling the move unconstitutional.

Officials pledged to restore order and urged citizens to remain calm, while witnesses reported sporadic gunfire around the capital.

The crisis has drawn swift international concern, with neighbouring governments urging restraint and calling for dialogue.

The African Union warned against any unconstitutional transfer of power, saying it would not recognise a military takeover.

The turmoil echoes Madagascar’s 2009 political crisis, when Rajoelina, then the youthful mayor of Antananarivo, rose to power after weeks of protests toppled President Marc Ravalomanana.

Back then, the same elite army unit broke ranks and forced the president to step down, paving the way for Rajoelina’s rule.

The episode was widely condemned as a coup and left the country diplomatically isolated for years.

Rajoelina returned to power through elections in 2018 and secured another term last year, promising stability and economic revival.

But persistent inflation, joblessness and patchy infrastructure have eroded public confidence, fuelling anger among young people who say the government has failed to deliver.

As night fell on Sunday, demonstrators continued to occupy Independence Avenue, waving flags and chanting against the government.

Security forces maintained a heavy presence, and uncertainty hung over who controls the capital’s main barracks.

Madagascar, one of the world’s poorest island nations, has a history of political instability, with coups or attempted power grabs punctuating its democratic transitions.

Analysts say the latest crisis could again test the country’s fragile institutions — and determine whether Rajoelina can survive the most serious challenge to his rule since he first came to power 16 years ago.

ligadwah@businessdayafrica.org