Madagascar’s president says coup taking place as army unit declares control of military
The same army contingent, known as Capsat, was instrumental in propelling former DJ President Rajoelina to power in a coup in 2009
A mutinied army unit declared on Sunday that it was taking control of all Madagascar military forces as President Andry Rajoelina said an “attempt to seize power illegally” was under way.
The elite contingent of administrative and technical officers – known as Capsat – joined thousands of protesters in the capital city, Antananarivo, on Saturday in a major shift in a more than two-week anti-government protest movement, sparked by anger over power and water shortages.
The movement is driven by educated youth in their late teens and 20s. They accuse the government of mismanagement and corruption, citing as inspiration the Gen Z protests in Nepal that forced the prime minister to resign in early September.
Local media on the scene said there was an exchange of fire between Capsat troops and pro-government security forces in which a protester and a Capsat soldier appeared to be fatally wounded.
Capsat was instrumental in propelling Rajoelina to power in 2009, when the former nightclub DJ replaced then president Marc Ravalomanana after a coup.
Before Sunday’s announcement, Capsat had declared that it would “refuse orders to shoot” and criticised the gendarmerie, who have been accused of using heavy-handed tactics against protesters, causing several deaths.