Navy says it has seized energy in Madagascar after president strikes to ‘secure place’

[ad_1] Sammy Awami BBC Africa, Antananarivo and

Danai Nesta Kupemba

'We've seized energy,' says head of navy unit

An elite navy unit says it has seized energy in Madagascar from President Andry Rajoelina following weeks of youth-led protests within the Indian Ocean island.

Standing outdoors the presidential palace on Tuesday, CAPSAT chief Col Michael Randrianirina mentioned the navy would type a authorities and maintain elections inside two years. He additionally suspended key democratic establishments, just like the electoral fee.

Gen Z protestors might be a part of the modifications as a result of "the motion was created within the streets so we have now to respect their calls for" he added.

Troops and protesters have been celebrating the obvious ousting of President Rajoelina, with hundreds waving flags within the capital, Antananarivo.

CAPSAT stands for Personnel Administration and Technical and Administrative Companies Corps, and is essentially the most highly effective navy unit in Madagascar.

The unit supported Rajoelina when he got here into energy in 2009, however joined the protesters on Saturday.

Madagascar's constitutional courtroom has named Col Randrianirina because the nation's new chief, despite the fact that an announcement from the president's workplace mentioned he was nonetheless in cost and denounced what it described as an "tried coup d'etat".

Rajoelina's whereabouts are unknown, however he has mentioned he's sheltering in a "secure place" following an alleged try on his life by "navy personnel and politicians". CAPSAT has denied any involvement in any such transfer.

There have been unconfirmed reviews that the president was flown in a foreign country on a French navy plane.

Additionally on Tuesday the US state spartment urged all sides "to pursue a peaceable answer according to the constitutional order".

Col Randrianirina advised the BBC that Madagascar was "a rustic the place chaos reigns proper now".

"Chaos as a result of there isn't any president - he is gone overseas."

The unrest started simply over two weeks in the past, after a youth-led motion started protesting in opposition to continual water and energy cuts throughout the nation.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/70bc/live/ccde0320-a913-11f0-b5e8-25b94b51d777.jpg.webp" loading="eager" alt="AFP via Getty Images Dozens of people march in the Madagascar capital of Antananarivo, with their fists in the air. " class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> AFP by way of Getty Pictures Youth-led protests started over electrical energy cuts and water shortages

The demonstrations quickly escalated, to replicate wider dissatisfaction with Rajoelina's authorities over excessive unemployment, rampant corruption and the cost-of-living disaster.

Protestors clashed with safety forces ensuing within the demise of a minimum of 22 folks and greater than 100 others injured, in line with the UN, though the Malagasy authorities has dismissed these figures and described them as primarily based on "rumours and misinformation".

President Rajoelina, an entrepreneur and former DJ, was as soon as seen as a contemporary begin for Madagascar.

The newborn-faced chief grew to become president when he was simply 34, incomes the title of Africa's youngest chief, and happening to control for 4 years, earlier than returning to energy after the 2018 election.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/545c/live/8a49bf40-a91d-11f0-a87a-599d240e4891.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="AFP via Getty Images Video of President Andry Rajoelina on an tablet screen" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> AFP by way of Getty Pictures President Andry Rajoelina gave a speech on Monday by way of his Fb web page

However he fell out of favour following allegations of cronyism and corruption, which he denied.

Although energy seems to have shifted away from him, he has continued to attempt to affect occasions.

Rajoelina tried to dissolve the nationwide meeting earlier than the opposition might vote to strip him of his presidency for abandonment of put up, however that didn't work.

Lawmakers voted to question Rajoelina by 130 votes to 1 clean poll on Tuesday. Even members of his celebration, Irmar, voted overwhelmingly to question him.

Rajoelina rejected the vote, calling it "null and void".

The African Union (AU) has warned in opposition to troopers "meddling" in Madagascar's political affairs and rejected "any try at unconstitutional modifications of presidency".

French President Emmanuel Macron known as the state of affairs "significantly worrying".

The island has gone via a collection of political upheavals in recent times.

Madagascar is likely one of the poorest international locations on the earth, with 75% of its 30 million folks dwelling beneath the poverty line, in line with the World Financial institution.

Head of Madagascar navy unit denies plot to kill president Rajoelina

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/0a19/live/7c722dc0-089d-11ef-b9d8-4f52aebe147d.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Getty Images/BBC A woman looking at her mobile phone and the graphic BBC News Africa" class="sc-5340b511-0 bGQwLJ"/> Getty Pictures/BBC [ad_2] Source link