Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina appoints Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo after weeks of anti-government protests.Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has appointed Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, as anti-government protests once again eruped in the country.The appointment of Zafisambo, a military general, on Monday comes a week after the government was dissolved in response to the protests.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of listHowever, protesters are now calling on Rajoelina himself to resign.Police fired tear gas at demonstrators on the streets of the capital, Antananarivo, on Monday, the start of a third consecutive week of protests. The unrest began over water and electricity cuts, but has evolved into broader anti-government anger against Rajoelina’s administration.Protesters have gathered in cities across the country, with local TV stations broadcasting footage of people at rallies being confronted by police in the cities of Toliara and Antsiranana, also known as Diego Suarez.In Antananarivo, a Reuters reporter said police fired tear gas at the protesters, most of whom were university students.The United Nations said on Monday that 22 people have been killed since the protests began, and more than 100 people have been injured, figures rejected by the government.The protests against Rajoelina’s government began on September 25 in the capital, with thousands of demonstrators taking to the streets and erecting barricades with rocks and tyres.They were organised by Gen Z Madagascar, a social media youth group describing itself as a “peaceful, civic movement”. Organisers say they have taken inspiration from youth-led movements in Nepal and Morocco. Advertisement About a third o …
