Madagascar’s Military Fractures: Soldiers Defy Orders to Join Youth-Led Protests

By_Suraj Karowa

Antananarivo, Madagascar – In a dramatic escalation of the island nation’s deepening political crisis, elite soldiers from Madagascar’s CAPSAT unit defied government orders on October 11, 2025, marching into the capital alongside thousands of anti government protesters. The move, broadcast live on social media, marked the first time demonstrators breached the heavily fortified May 13 Square since unrest erupted on September 25, raising fears of an imminent coup against President Andry Rajoelina.

The youth-led movement, inspired by Gen Z uprisings in Kenya and Nepal, began as a grassroots outcry over chronic power and water shortages that have plagued Antananarivo and beyond. What started as calls for basic utilities has snowballed into a nationwide demand for Rajoelina’s resignation, fueled by accusations of corruption, electoral fraud, and economic mismanagement in one of the world’s poorest countries. With over 75% of Madagascar’s 32 million people living in poverty, according to World Bank data, the protests have exposed deep-seated frustrations in a nation prone to upheaval since independence from France in 1960.

Saturday’s events unfolded amid clashes between protesters and security forces. Police fired stun grenades and tear gas near Lake Anosy to scatter crowds, injuring several and drawing viral videos of brutal beatings, including one man left unconscious after being chased and assaulted – an incident witnessed by AFP reporters. As tensions peaked, armored vehicles from the CAPSAT barracks in Soanierana district rumbled into the city, their arrival met with ecstatic cheers from demonstrators chanting “Thank you!” Some soldiers waved Malagas flags, while others escorted protesters into the iconic May 13 Square – a historic site of past revolts, long sealed off by barricades.

CAPSAT, an elite unit of administrative and technical officers, holds symbolic weight: It was instrumental in Rajoelina 2009 coup that ousted President Marc Ravalomanana, paving the way for his first stint in power. Now, in a stunning reversal, CAPSAT leader Lylison René de Rolland addressed the throng from Antananarivo City Hall balcony. “Let us join forces, military, gendarmes, and police, and refuse to be paid to shoot our friends, our brothers, and our sisters,” he declared in a video circulating online. The soldiers urged comrades at the airport to ground all flights and those in other camps to lock gates and ignore superiors’ commands to fire on civilians. “Point your weapons at those who order you to shoot,” they implored, vowing to protect families left behind if troops fell in line with the regime.

The defection’s scale remains unclear, but local media captured troops abandoning posts to shield protesters, transforming a potential bloodbath into a jubilant procession. “We try to protect ourselves with stones from the tear gas, and now we feel a sense of pride,” said Lucie, a 24-year-old demonstrator who withheld her last name for safety. Nearby, an anonymous young man decried daily life as “hell” amid blackouts that last hours, forcing businesses to shutter and families to boil rainwater.

Rajoelina, 49, who won contested elections in 2018 and 2023 amid opposition boycotts, initially responded conciliatorily. On September 29, he dissolved Prime Minister Christian Ntsay’s government and dismissed the energy minister. But as protests persisted into their third week, he hardened his stance, appointing army General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister on October 6 and stacking his new cabinet with military and police figures. “The country no longer needs disturbances,” Rajoelina declared, labeling the unrest a “coup” plot.
Zafisambo, in a late-night video address, urged unity: “Madagascar will not withstand further crises if this division continues. We are ready to collaborate with youth, unions, and the military.” Armed forces minister General Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo echoed calls for calm, positioning the army as a “mediator and last line of defense,” while pleading for dialogue over division.

The human toll underscores the stakes. The United Nations reports at least 22 deaths and 100 injuries since September 25, many from rubber bullets and excessive force.Rajoelina disputes this, claiming only 12 fatalities – all “looters and vandals.” On Thursday, armored vehicles rammed crowds, exacerbating outrage. The Council of Christian Churches in Madagascar (FFKM) condemned the violence while urging an end to looting, emphasizing citizens’ rights to electricity and water.

Organized via the Facebook group Gen Z Madagascar – which ballooned to over 100,000 followers in days – the protests have spread beyond the capital, with labor unions now issuing general strike calls. Opposition figures like Clémence Raharinirina and Baba Faniry Rakotoarisoa ignited the spark on September 18, decrying corruption in utilities under the banner “Tsy Manaiky Lembenana” (We Refuse to Be Trampled).

As night fell on May 13 Square, protesters and soldiers lingered in wary solidarity, their alliance a precarious thread in Madagascar’s volatile tapestry. Analysts warn of coup risks, given CAPSAT’s history, but Gen Z leaders express cautious optimism mixed with doubt about the path ahead. With curfews imposed and international eyes watching, the island teeters: Will military mediation prevail, or fracture into chaos? For now, the cheers in Antananarivo echo a fragile hope for change.