By Sekaggya Seka Moses
Antananarivo, Madagascar – Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina is reported to have fled the country on a French military aircraft, hours before he was scheduled to address the nation.
According to French state radio RFI, Rajoelina, who also holds French citizenship, departed the capital, Antananarivo, after a deal with French President Emmanuel Macron. His possible destination is believed to be Dubai.
This comes amid escalating protests and unrest in the country, with thousands of youths and activists from the “Gen Z Madagascar” movement demanding Rajoelina’s resignation over corruption and poverty.
The protests gained momentum after a key army unit withdrew its support for the president.
Rajoelina, 51, who first took office in 2009 and served until 2014 before returning to power in 2023, had been due to speak to the nation at 7 pm local time.
However, his departure was announced just hours before the scheduled address.
The protests, which began after the arrest of two politicians planning to demonstrate against power and water outages, have resulted in at least 22 deaths, according to the UN.
Rajoelina had disputed the toll, attributing the deaths to looters and vandals.
The situation on the ground remains tense, with demonstrators, including soldiers and gendarmerie officers, gathered in front of the Antananarivo city hall, waving flags and chanting slogans.
The elite Capsat unit, which played a key role in Rajoelina’s 2009 coup, has also joined the protests, calling on fellow soldiers to refuse orders to fire on civilians.
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