The country’s president has replaced the government, as protests over blackouts and water shortages enter the third week
Madagascar’s president, Andry Rajoelina, has appointed Army General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, replacing Christian Ntsay, after dissolving the government in the face of growing nationwide unrest.
Announcing the reshuffle on Monday, Rajoelina said the country needed a “prime minister capable of restoring order and the people’s trust” as protests over blackouts and water shortages stretched into a third week.
Rajoelina dismissed his cabinet last week, yet growing numbers of protesters are now calling for the president to step down as well.
The protests, which began on September 25, were initially sparked by widespread electricity outages and chronic water shortages. Police have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds, with reports of looting and attacks on shopping centers. Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew in the capital and sealed off major roads, but the unrest has persisted.
Thousands have rallied in Antananarivo and other cities under the banner of the youth-led movement Gen Z Madagascar. Protesters have demanded Rajoelina’s resignation, chanting “Rajoelina Out,”“We are poor, angry, and unhappy,” and “Madagascar is ours.”
“I understand the anger, the sadness, and the difficulties caused by power cuts and water supply problems. I heard the call, I felt the suffering, I understood the impact on daily life,” Rajoelina said in a speech on state broadcaster Televiziona Malagasy, as quoted by EFE.
Rajoelina, a former DJ, came to power in a 2009 coup and led a transitional authority for nearly five years before winning the presidency in 2018. He was reelected in 2023 after weeks of protests and boycotts by several opposition candidates, pledging to build a stronger, more prosperous nation through industrialization, electrification, and broader access to basic services.
The unrest mirrors youth-led protests in Morocco, where movements such as GenZ 212 and Morocco Youth Voices have mobilized online against poor public services. What began as youth-led demonstrations calling for better public services has grown into rioting, vandalism, and attacks on state institutions.
