Madagascar’s coup leader is sworn in as new president

Col Michael Randrianirina (centre). Pic/AFP

An army colonel who seized power in a military coup was sworn in as Madagascar's new leader Friday in a lightning-fast power grab that ousted the president and sent him fleeing from the country into hiding. Col Michael Randrianirina, the commander of an elite army unit, took the oath of office to become the new president at a ceremony in the main chamber of the nation's High Constitutional Court and in front of its nine red-robed judges.

His ascent to the presidency came just three days after he announced that the armed forces were taking power in the sprawling Indian Ocean island of around 30 million people off Africa's east coast. The United Nations has condemned the military takeover as an unconstitutional change of government, but there has been little significant reaction from other countries, including Madagascar's former colonial ruler, France.

Ousted President Andry Rajoelina's whereabouts are unknown after he left the country, claiming that his life was in danger following the rebellion by soldiers loyal to Randrianirina. He reportedly escaped on a French military plane. In his absence, Rajoelina was impeached in a vote in parliament on Tuesday, right before the colonel announced the military was taking power. Rajoelina himself came to power as a transitional leader in 2009 after the military-backed coup.

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