Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina has dismissed Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and his entire cabinet following days of deadly protests led by Gen Z over persistent electricity and water shortages.
Speaking on national television, Rajoelina said that Ntsay and other officials would remain in their roles on an interim basis until a new government is established. He opened applications for government posts and set a three-day deadline to review candidates for the prime minister position.
“Your demands have been heard, and I apologise if there are members of the government who have not done the work that the people expected,” Rajoelina said.
Protesters had demanded the resignations of both Ntsay and Rajoelina, but the president gave no indication that he would step down, reports AP/UNB.
The demonstrations, sparked on Thursday by chronic power and water outages, drew thousands to the streets of Antananarivo and other major cities, prompting authorities to impose nighttime curfews. The protests gained momentum on social media and echoed recent youth-led anti-government movements in Nepal and Kenya.
The United Nations human rights office reported earlier Monday that clashes related to the protests had killed 22 people, attributing the deaths to a “violent response” by security forces. Over 100 people were reportedly injured.
While protesters and bystanders were killed by security forces, the UN statement noted that some fatalities also occurred during violence and looting by gangs unrelated to the demonstrations.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk expressed shock “at the violent response by security forces to the ongoing protests in Madagascar,” adding that the unrest started peacefully on Thursday but escalated as security forces used tear gas, beat protesters, made arrests, and in some cases fired live ammunition.
Madagascar Foreign Minister Rasata Rafaravavitafika challenged the UN figures, saying in a statement that “the government strongly denies” that 22 people had died. Authorities have not released their own casualty figures.
Rajoelina expressed sympathy for anyone who had lost loved ones in the protests but did not provide a death toll on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, thousands of protesters returned to the streets in Antananarivo and other cities, leading security forces to again deploy tear gas.
Over the past five days, demonstrators have set up barricades with burning tires and rocks, damaged stations of the new Antananarivo cable car system, and attacked the homes of politicians close to Rajoelina, according to local media.
Nighttime curfews remain in place in Antananarivo since Thursday and have been extended to other major cities since Friday.
Madagascar, an island nation of 31 million off of Africa’s east coast, has seen protesters decry widespread poverty and the government’s failure to provide reliable water and electricity. The World Bank reports that urban poverty has risen sharply in recent years.
Protesters carried flags or wore T-shirts featuring a cartoon skull and crossbones from the anime series “One Piece,” a symbol also used by anti-government demonstrators in Nepal and parts of Southeast Asia. Placards read “Justice for Madagascar,” “Leo” meaning “we’re fed up”, and “We want to live, not just survive.”
Rajoelina, 51, has served as president since 2019, previously leading a provisional government following a 2009 coup, and was re-elected in 2023 in a vote largely boycotted by opposition candidates.
