Madagascar’s army has taken over power and dissolved all institutions, while President Andry Rajoelina fled the country for safety.

“We have taken the power,” Colonel Michael Randrianirina, leader of CAPSAT, a unit of Madagascar’s army that earlier declared support for protesters, said on national radio on Tuesday.

Mr Randrianirina also added that the military has dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament, which voted to impeach Mr Rajoelina a few minutes before his announcement.

The army takeover in Madagascar followed three weeks of protests that broke out on September 25. It started as demonstrations over water and power shortages but morphed into calls for Mr Rajoelina’s resignation.

Madagascar’s army has taken over power and dissolved all institutions, while President Andry Rajoelina fled the country for safety.

“We have taken the power,” Colonel Michael Randrianirina, leader of CAPSAT, a unit of Madagascar’s army that earlier declared support for protesters, said on national radio on Tuesday.

Mr Randrianirina also added that the military has dissolved all institutions except the lower house of parliament, which voted to impeach Mr Rajoelina a few minutes before his announcement.

Mr Rajoelina had sacked his cabinet members and begged for one year to fix power and water shortages, promising to resign should the problems persist to pacify protesters and douse tension. But his appeal could not persuade protesters, who have remained on the streets insisting that he resign.

Mr Rajoelina, on Monday, went into hiding to protect his life, accusing soldiers and politicians of plotting a coup to assassinate him. He had also announced the dissolution of parliament in a bid to block his impeachment on Tuesday morning.

According to Reuters, a French Army Casa aircraft landed at Madagascar’s Sainte Marie airport on Sunday. Five minutes later, a helicopter arrived and transferred its passenger into the Casa, the source said, adding that Rajoelina was the passenger.

Before Mr Rajoelina fled the country on Monday, CAPSAT, a unit of Madagascar’s army that played a key role in the 2019 coup, had, in a video on Sunday, declared support for protesters calling for the resignation of Mr Rajoelina.

So far, over 20 people have been killed since the protests started on September 25 as a result of a brutal police clampdown on protesters.