Antananarivo, Sept 30 — Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said on Monday he was dissolving the government following three days of youth-led protests over water and power cuts. The United Nations reported that at least 22 people were killed and more than 100 injured during the demonstrations.
The protests, described as the largest the country has seen in years, were inspired by “Gen Z” movements in Kenya and Nepal. Crowds gathered in several cities, including the capital Antananarivo, demanding solutions to worsening shortages and criticizing government inaction.
Rajoelina, who was re-elected in 2023, acknowledged the unrest in a speech broadcast on state television. “We acknowledge and apologize if members of the government have not carried out the tasks assigned to them,” he said on Televiziona Malagasy (TVM).
The president did not announce who would form the next cabinet but said new appointments would follow. The dissolution comes amid growing public frustration with frequent electricity blackouts and limited access to clean water across the Indian Ocean island.
The United Nations urged calm and restraint, calling on authorities to protect the right to peaceful assembly while ensuring accountability for the violence.
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