Social issues took center stage at the opening ceremony of the National Assembly’s extraordinary session. Speaking on behalf of the deputies, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko demanded the acceleration of water and electricity projects.
The issue is unavoidable. It is difficult to ignore the social situation in current political events, as seen yesterday at the Tsimbazaza assembly hall. Beyond purely political matters, the resurgence of long power outages in the Antananarivo Interconnected Network (RIA) served as the backdrop for the event. These power cuts often lead to water supply disruptions, as electric pumping stations are also affected.
Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, President of the Lower House, urged the Executive branch to expedite projects intended to provide sustainable solutions. While highlighting ongoing efforts—such as the construction of over a thousand water supply infrastructures and the Drinking Water Access Improvement Project (PAAEP)—he acknowledged that the dry season reveals structural and technical flaws that must be addressed.
Regarding electricity, the performance of hydroelectric plants is minimal due to the dry season, and aging thermal power plants struggle to fill the gap. Furthermore, Randrianasoloniaiko attributed recent long outages to the theft of 28 kilometers of electrical cables along National Road 1 (RN1), labeling these acts as “destabilization.” While he noted that solar power plant projects totaling 44 megawatts are underway for the RIA, he conceded that there is a distinction between ongoing work and projects yet to be realized.
Speaking for the institution, he requested that the timelines for these projects be communicated transparently to the public. He reiterated his call for the Executive to accelerate these efforts, noting that these issues remain at the heart of daily household struggles, nearly a year after the protests of late 2025.
Head of State Colonel Michaël Randrianirina recently acknowledged the need to move beyond “patchwork” solutions toward structural projects, such as the Volobe project. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mamitiana Rajaonarison is working with the World Bank to identify rapid and medium-term solutions, with a focus on solar energy and reforming administrative procedures to speed up the disbursement of funds.
In his closing remarks, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko emphasized that “the true measure of a state policy’s success is the perception of concrete improvement in the daily lives of the population.”
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-18 06:08:36 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/eau-et-energie-lassemblee-nationale.html