A year after protests forced President Andry Rajoelina from power, Madagascar's Gen Z activists are expressing disappointment and betrayal. They had joined forces with soldiers from the Capsat military unit in October last year, leading to the military seizing power and swearing in Colonel Michael Randrianirina as interim leader on October 17. The protests had claimed at least 22 lives, including in a government crackdown.
Herizo Andriamanantena, a 30-year-old agricultural engineer and figurehead of the movement, recalled feeling joy and relief when the military joined the protests. However, he says there have been only "little changes here and there" since then. When his group called a march in April to protest the slow pace of promised reforms, the new authorities responded with a crackdown, arresting Herizo and five other activists.
Herizo spent 13 days in police custody on a charge of endangering state security, which allows for detention of up to 15 days. He was held in a small cell with around 20 prisoners, including offenders and murderers. Herizo said he felt like a criminal, despite having fought for his country. He also lost his job, as did another activist, Nomena Ratsihorimanana, who had worked for the National Human Rights Observatory.
Nomena Ratsihorimanana, 36, described his arrest as violent, involving an SUV ramming him on his motorbike and then being beaten for around an hour. He was threatened with guns and told he would be killed. Ratsihorimanana was released after five days in detention. According to lawyer Maromanana Aliarivelo, the charge of endangering state security has been widely used by those in power in Madagascar to silence critics.
Felana Andriatahina, a 32-year-old eco-construction entrepreneur and activist, said it was a betrayal that the new government had resorted to the same old tactics. She was part of Herizo's collective that ran a Facebook page, "Gen Z Madagascar", which coordinated the September and October 2025 demonstrations. The page had around 200,000 followers at the height of the revolt against Rajoelina but was hacked and deleted shortly before the military switched sides.
The movement that brought down Rajoelina's government was diverse, drawing mainly urban, educated young people. According to UNICEF, around 70 percent of Madagascar's population is under 30. However, the movement's unity has since frayed, with one faction recently affirming its support for Colonel Randrianirina, who has promised elections by the end of next year.
As the first anniversary of the start of the protests approaches, some activists are wary of official commemorations planned for Friday. Elliot Randriamandrato, 32, one of the administrators of the original Facebook page, said that if the commemorations are just a way to legitimize the new government, they are pointless. The programme in the capital Antananarivo includes the unveiling of a stele, a march, and an address by Colonel Randrianirina at the central May 13 Square.
Key points
- Gen Z activists in Madagascar feel betrayed by the new military government.
- The activists had helped bring down the previous government but now face crackdowns and arrests.
- The movement that brought down the previous government has frayed, with some factions supporting the new military leaders.
