Africa Today: Madagascar poverty

n Madagascar, rage and resilience collide. After weeks of deadly protests led by the Gen-Z that left at least 22 dead and over 100 injured, the military seized power in mid-October.

Colonel Michael Randrianirina now stands at the helm of a nation in turmoil. The ousted president, Andry Rajoelina, fled on a French military aircraft, as cries against poverty, corruption, and endless blackouts echoed across the island.

With three in four Malagasy people trapped below the poverty line, frustration runs deep. France's rule over Madagascar was marked by violence, exploitation, and crushed revolts long before independence in 1960.

Decades later, the chains remain, only polished and disguised. Through French neo-colonial control and relentless plundering of Madagascar's resources, can anyone be surprised that the island still bleeds beneath the heavy hand of Paris?