President Andry Rajoelina on Monday appointed army General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as Madagascar’s new prime minister, a week after dissolving the government in response to persistent protests over power and water shortages.
Zafisambo, who previously served as director of the military cabinet in the prime minister’s office, replaces Christian Ntsay, dismissed as part of Rajoelina’s bid to reassert control amid mounting unrest.
Before announcing the appointment, President Rajoelina said the nation needed “a prime minister capable of restoring order and the people’s trust.” He added that the general’s immediate priority would be to stabilise electricity and water supplies.
Protests continued in the capital, Antananarivo, for a third consecutive week on Monday, with demonstrators demanding not only improved public services but also Rajoelina’s resignation. Police fired tear gas to disperse crowds, many of whom were university students expressing frustration over poverty and corruption.
Inspired by “Gen Z” movements in Kenya and Nepal, the demonstrations mark the largest wave of public unrest in Madagascar in recent years.
Malagasy television footage showed security forces clashing with protesters in Toliara and Diego Suarez. According to the United Nations, at least 22 people have been killed and more than 100 injured since the protests began figures the government has disputed.
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Despite Madagascar’s vast mineral resources and rich biodiversity, it remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with income per capita declining by 45 per cent between independence in 1960 and 2020.
Rajoelina, 51, has acknowledged the public’s frustrations but has resisted calls to step down. In a Friday speech, he said he was willing to “listen to the grievances of the people,” while his spokesperson accused unnamed political actors of “seeking to destabilise the country.”
The presidency confirmed that the president met with several civil society groups over the weekend, though others boycotted the meeting, saying authorities had not guaranteed freedom for detained protesters or the right to demonstrate peacefully.
Zafisambo’s appointment is seen as a test of whether military influence can restore calm or further inflame tensions in a nation long beset by political instability.Madagascar President
