Colonel Randrianirina apologized to the population for the shots fired by presidential security near Ivandry on Friday. According to him, the current security situation is being orchestrated to create a climate of psychosis.
A plot—this is what Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, Head of State, suspects regarding the prevailing security situation, based on the speech he delivered Saturday at the Corps of Administration of Personnel for Administrative and Technical Services (CAPSAT) camp in Soanierana. He believes the goal of these maneuvers is to incite a sense of fear throughout the country.
The trigger for this sharp reaction occurred in the capital’s skies above Ivandry on Friday evening. The presidential convoy was reportedly deliberately tracked by a suspicious drone for two consecutive nights. “It already happened on Thursday evening, and we initially chose to observe. But as it happened again last night, we had to show them that we are ready to retaliate and that we are not mere bystanders,” the senior officer asserted.
For his part, the occupant of Iavoloha Palace apologized to the public for the panic caused by Friday’s gunfire. “The reason I ask for the Malagasy people’s forgiveness is simple: people panicked when they heard it. People thought there were riots in Antananarivo,” he stated, adding, “No, there are no riots in Antananarivo. We are working properly. The gendarmerie, the army, and the police are on duty. Antananarivo is calm. There are no riots here.”
According to his speech, the Head of State no longer views the matter as a mere security incident, but as a political issue. Drawing parallels to the recent rise in insecurity, Colonel Randrianirina denounced a destabilization maneuver. “…this is precisely what these individuals are seeking: to install psychosis in Madagascar in order to claim internationally that the country is in flames,” he argued.
By “these individuals,” the Head of State is clearly referring to those residing abroad. “All of this is part of their strategy to destabilize a country that is currently recovering. But they should know that Madagascar is doing much better without them. They would be better off staying where they are,” he concluded.
A resurgence in insecurity has been noted recently, both in urban and rural areas. Armed robberies, kidnappings of teenagers and individuals with albinism, and the discovery of lifeless, mutilated bodies are examples fueling the headlines. “We are learning that drugs are also starting to circulate here,” the occupant of Iavoloha noted.
For the authorities, there are no coincidences. “…this has always been part of their combat strategy. It is not invented; it is their method to make people believe that Madagascar is unstable,” affirmed Colonel Randrianirina, who called on citizens to assist the Defense and Security Forces (FDS) in flushing out those responsible for these acts. He delivered this speech before all the military chiefs.
Initially, Saturday’s event at CAPSAT was a ceremony for the official handover of new machinery and equipment to the military engineering corps. The fact that the senior officer chose to mention the suspicion of a destabilization plot there may not be accidental. It was from CAPSAT that he mobilized the army to support his rise to power in October 2025. Beyond his call for public cooperation, his speech on Saturday also serves as a new rallying cry to his brothers-in-arms.
On the government side, it is all hands on deck. Yesterday, the day after the Head of State’s speech, the National Joint Design Body (OMC-NAT) held a press conference at the Ministry of Interior and Decentralization in Anosy. The opening remarks, delivered by Velonjara Tiaray Rakotonandrasana, Minister of Interior and Decentralization, echoed the Head of State’s comments from the previous day.
During his address, Police Inspector General Eric Michel Idrissa, Minister of Public Security, reaffirmed the thesis of a destabilization attempt behind the insecurity, reporting four armed robbery cases on Saturday night. Shell casings found at the crime scenes indicate that the bandits used the same weapon, “with the same modus operandi,” according to the government member.
The media outing of the OMC-NAT aimed to denounce the situation and reinforce the fact that the rise in insecurity stems from a plot for destabilization purposes. It also sought to reassure the public that the State is working to “neutralize these destabilization actions” and to reiterate the call for public cooperation.
Captured & Published at: 2026-07-06 06:12:51 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/07/conjoncture-le-chef-de-letat-denonce-un.html