AFRICA/MADAGASCAR – Protests continue despite government resignation

Antananarivo – Anti-government protests in Madagascar continue. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets yesterday in various cities to demand the resignation of President Andry Rajoelina, even though he had dismissed the entire government a few days earlier in an attempt to quell growing discontent .
The demonstrations, which began on September 25, were fueled by frustration over poor governance and the persistent lack of water and electricity. Calls for Rajoelina’s resignation intensified after a violent crackdown that, according to the United Nations, left at least 22 dead and hundreds injured, a claim the government denies. The protests were triggered by the arrest on September 19 of two key politicians who had organized a peaceful demonstration in the capital, Antananarivo, to protest chronic problems with water and electricity supplies.
Those taking to the streets are primarily young people from the so-called “Generation Z,” who are being urged, primarily through social media campaigns, to demand a say in their country’s future.
The demonstrators have announced a 24-hour pause in the demonstrations in the capital, Antananarivo. “This is not a retreat, but a strategy: We will come back more united and stronger,” Gen Z Madagascar declared on Facebook. However, the protests continue in other cities on the island, such as Toliara, 925 km south of Antananarivo, where hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets chanting “Rajoelina out!” Young people are also continuing their peaceful protests in Diego Suarez, 950 km to the north, accompanied by law enforcement officers, as well as in the large city of Antsiranana in the far north.

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