JUST four days into his presidency, Colonel Michael Randrianirina confronts his first major political crisis after the youth movement that toppled his predecessor rejected his choice for prime minister, threatening to resume the street protests that have already brought down one government.
The 48-hour-old controversy erupted Monday when Randrianirina appointed businessman Herintsalama Rajaonarivelo as prime minister, a decision that immediately drew fierce condemnation from Gen Z protest leaders who warned the military leader’s grip on power now depends on meeting their demands for genuine reform.
“We will not allow old practices to be passed off as something new,” Gen Z leaders declared in a statement. “Our revolution will not be hijacked.”
The appointment of Rajaonarivelo, a prominent figure in Madagascar’s economic and financial circles, replaced Ruphin Zafisambo, who had served barely two weeks after being named by ousted president Andry Rajoelina. Randrianirina defended the choice, citing Rajaonarivelo’s experience and “connection with international organisations that work with us.”
But youth leaders who commanded weeks of demonstrations beginning in September say the selection was made without consultation and “runs contrary to the spirit of change and renewal” their movement demands. They have vowed to continue mobilising and are demanding transparency about how and why Rajaonarivelo was chosen.
The confrontation presents a critical test for Randrianirina, who seized power in a military coup last week and was sworn in as president on Friday. The colonel now finds himself dependent on the same Gen Z movement that proved capable of forcing out an elected president — a movement that has made clear it will hold him to account.
What began as protests over water and power shortages evolved into a broader uprising that ultimately drove Rajoelina from office. Youth organisers demonstrated they possess both the organisational capacity and public support to destabilise any government that fails to meet their expectations.
For Randrianirina, the miscalculation over the prime minister appointment has transformed what should have been a honeymoon period into a battle for political survival, with his ability to maintain power now contingent on satisfying a youth movement that has already claimed one presidential scalp.
