Army colonel Michael Randrianirina was sworn in as Madagascar’s president Friday, just days after a military power grab that sent ex-president Andry Rajoelina fleeing and raised international alarm about a new coup on the island.
Randrianirina led the CAPSAT army unit that mutinied and joined anti-government protesters before announcing the military had taken over after Rajoelina was impeached for desertion of duty on Tuesday.
“Today marks a historic turning point for our country,” he said after taking the presidential oath.
“We will work hand in hand with all the driving forces of the nation to draft a fine constitution… and to agree on new electoral laws for the organisation of elections and referendums,” he said.
He also thanked the youth for spearheading the protests that ousted Rajoelina and said the army had intervened at the request of the top court to “avoid anarchy and disorder”.
The ceremony in the capital Antananarivo was attended by military officers, politicians, representatives of the Gen Z youth-led protest movement and several foreign delegations including from the United States, the European Union, Russia and France.
Amid international criticism, including from the United Nations, Randrianirina has been eager to officialise his new role and insisted the takeover was not a coup, pointing to the constitutional court’s backing.
He has pledged elections in 18 to 24 months and on Thursday told local media that the country wouldn’t be led by a military regime but that “the government belongs to civilians”.
The 51-year-old colonel swapped his army uniform for a suit at Friday’s swearing-in ceremony where he addressed the foreign delegations in French, inviting them to “accompany Madagascar in the process of steering and implementing national renewal”.
“We are committed to breaking with the past,” Randrianirina said. “Our main mission is to thoroughly reform the country’s administrative, socio-economic and political systems of governance.”
