Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has given himself 12 months to resolve the country’s rolling crises, pledging to step down if power cuts in the capital continue after a year.
Speaking at a town-hall style meeting at the presidential palace with pro-government groups, Rajoelina said he wanted candid feedback, not praise. “I don’t want flattery. I want to hear the truth,” he said, adding that loyalists who insisted “everything was fine” bore responsibility for today’s problems.
The youth-led movement Gen Z Mada, which has spearheaded protests since Sept. 25 over persistent electricity and water shortages, rejected an invitation to attend the talks, accusing the government of repression and calling new demonstrations for Thursday. After a 48-hour ultimatum for Rajoelina to quit expired, the group urged a nationwide strike, though plans remained vague.
Rajoelina said ongoing energy projects would add 265 megawatts to the grid and help end outages. “I swear that if power cuts persist in the capital within a year, I will resign,” he said.
The unrest has widened into anger over corruption, unemployment and the cost of living. Last week Rajoelina dismissed his cabinet and on Monday appointed an army general as prime minister — a move the protest leaders rejected.
Daily life in most of Antananarivo remains largely normal, though several neighborhoods have a heavy police presence and some roads are blocked or closely monitored. At least 22 people have been killed and dozens injured in clashes with security forces, according to the United Nations; authorities dispute those figures.
Rajoelina first came to power in 2009 after mass protests that led to the ouster of then-President Marc Ravalomanana. Despite the current calls for his resignation, turnout at street rallies has eased in recent days.