On the eve of his formal investiture, Colonel Mikael Randrianirina, the interim leader of Madagascar, firmly asserted that the country’s change in regime is occurring within a strict legal framework and without violence.
Colonel Randrianirina, president of the Restructuring of the Republic, assured stakeholders on Thursday that the transition “is taking place within a legal and constitutional framework,” explicitly rejecting any notion of a coup d’état.
“No violence has been committed, no palace has been attacked,” he affirmed. He announced he will be sworn in on Friday before the High Constitutional Court (HCC), an event that will officially sanction his new role.
Following the ceremony, the officer specified that a transitional government with a civilian majority will be formed, ensuring a balanced representation of both military and civilian forces.
“We want to restore trust between the institutions and the people. This is a refoundation, not a seizure of power,” he emphasized. Colonel Randrianirina, who chairs the National Council for the Defense of the Transition, noted that this body already includes several civilians, countering the idea of an exclusively military power takeover.
He ruled out any immediate early elections, insisting: “We must first reform the CENI and clean up the electoral rolls to ensure a transparent and consensual vote.”
Acknowledging the African Union’s suspension of Madagascar as a “normal reaction in this type of situation,” Randrianirina confirmed that discussions are underway with the Southern African Development Community (SADC), whose mission is expected around October 20 to assess the transition process.
This latest statement marks a political turning point for the former governor and military detainee. Trained at the Antsirabe Military Academy, Colonel Randrianirina initially kept a distance from politics. However, following the exfiltration of President Andry Rajoelina by France, he declared on October 15 that he had decided to “assume his responsibilities,” stating, “We are here to take power because the crisis has lasted long enough.”
The very next day, the HCC validated his role by formally noting the power vacuum, effectively transforming the army’s intervention into a constitutional transition. Colonel Randrianirina, now the interim Head of State under the High Court’s supervision, is promising “a thorough overhaul of the Republic, legally and without haste.”
AC/Sf/fss/abj/APA