
Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said he will convene a “national dialogue” on Wednesday after youth-led protesters gave him 48 hours to meet their demands or face a nationwide strike.
Rajoelina last week fired his cabinet and on Monday appointed army General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, moves billed as responses to grievances that ignited demonstrations on Sept. 25. The reshuffle has not calmed the streets, where initial anger over rolling water and power cuts has broadened into calls for Rajoelina to resign.
Inspired by recent “Gen Z” marches in Kenya and Nepal, the protests are the largest on the Indian Ocean island in years, channelling frustration over entrenched poverty and alleged high-level corruption.
“Together, we must unite to fight against these evils and build a new society founded on solidarity and mutual respect,” Rajoelina said Tuesday on his office’s Facebook page, adding that the talks — set for Wednesday afternoon — will bring together spiritual leaders, students, youth representatives and others to “listen to people’s concerns” and craft lasting fixes.
Protest organisers have previously urged Rajoelina to step down, apologise to the nation and dissolve both the senate and the election commission. On Tuesday, dozens marched in the capital before police dispersed them, the private outlet 2424.MG reported — far fewer than the hundreds who have rallied in recent days across Madagascar.
The United Nations says at least 22 people have been killed and about 100 injured since protests began; the government disputes those figures. In a statement on their verified Facebook page, organisers also rejected Zafisambo’s appointment as a mere “cosmetic manoeuvre.”