Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who led a military coup this week, said Wednesday he will soon be sworn in as president, vowing a transition over 18 months to two years before new elections.
Randrianirina, commander of the elite CAPSAT unit, addressed the nation after the High Constitutional Court formally invited him to assume the office of president following the ousting of Andry Rajoelina.
He confirmed that all state institutions have been dissolved—except for the lower house of parliament—and described the military’s intervention as a necessary response to a power vacuum.
He said he expects the oath-taking ceremony to occur “in the next day or two.” Randrianirina also outlined that during the transitional period, a military-led committee will govern alongside civilian advisers before elections are held.
Rajoelina—who first came to power in a 2009 coup—fled Madagascar over the weekend amid escalating protests led by Gen Z youth demanding improvements in public services and accountability. He has rejected the military takeover and vowed not to relinquish power.
Randrianirina once served under Rajoelina, and his defection has reshaped the course of the unrest.
As citizens in the capital watched and cheered, the military moved to consolidate control—and now aims to legitimize that takeover with a formal inauguration.
Reuters
