By Akazue Favour
Army Colonel Randrianirina Takes Oath as Madagascar’s New President After Power Shift
Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina has officially been sworn in as the new President of Madagascar, days after leading a military takeover that forced former president Andry Rajoelina to flee the country.
The 51-year-old army officer, who headed the CAPSAT military unit that joined anti-government protesters last week, took the oath of office on Friday in the capital city, Antananarivo. His rise to power followed the constitutional court’s decision to impeach Rajoelina for “abandonment of duty.”
During his inauguration, Randrianirina described his emergence as a “historic turning point” for the island nation, promising to restore stability and introduce broad political and economic reforms.
“We will rebuild our country through unity, fairness, and hard work,” he said, pledging to draft a new constitution and electoral laws with input from youth and civic groups. “Our goal is to reform the nation’s administrative and governance systems to reflect the will of the people.”
He also commended the youths whose protests triggered the fall of the previous administration, saying the army intervened only to prevent chaos.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior military officers, political leaders, and foreign envoys from the United States, the European Union, Russia, and France. Randrianirina assured international observers that the military’s action was constitutional and not a coup, urging them to support Madagascar’s “national renewal.”
Local reports indicated that Randrianirina had met with a Russian delegation on Thursday ahead of the ceremony. Meanwhile, the European Union and the African Union called for calm and urged a swift return to democratic governance.
Rajoelina’s allies, however, have rejected the court’s decision, describing it as unconstitutional. His spokesperson confirmed that the ousted leader left the country earlier in the week, reportedly on a French military aircraft to Reunion Island before heading to Dubai.
The recent power transition marks Madagascar’s third military-led change of government since its independence in 1960, joining a list of African countries — including Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Gabon — that have experienced military takeovers in recent years.
Despite being rich in natural resources, Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest nations, with nearly 80 percent of its 32 million citizens living in poverty.
The African Union and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have both announced plans to send delegations to assess the situation and push for the restoration of constitutional order.
