Repeated electricity failures and cuts to household water supplies have sparked social unrest across Madagascar. Jirama, the state-owned company that produces and distributes electricity and drinking water to the country’s roughly 30 million residents, has struggled after damage to facilities, low dry-season water levels and underperforming dams. In some Antananarivo districts residents receive only three hours of electricity per day and queue for as long as one to three hours to collect small water rations.
In September 2025 a Generation Z movement called "Leo Délestage" mobilised on social media and called for peaceful protests demanding reliable water and electricity. On September 25 a planned demonstration in Ambohijatovo park was banned, yet many people gathered and witnesses report that security forces used tear gas, carried out arrests and applied strong force. That night looting and vandalism spread across several districts, with supermarkets, shopping malls and banks targeted and fires started. Analamanga Police Chief Angelo Ravelonarivo announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew from 7 pm to 5 am, but vandalism continued through the night.
Published accounts give differing casualty figures: one line reports at least six people killed in clashes after the crackdown, while another passage mentions several injured and at least five dead, including two children. On September 26 a university student in Antsiranana Province was shot and killed by police; a video recorded by Fit Prod-Action was shown by KOLO TV and students carried the body into the town centre. Social media and professional networks amplified reactions, with footage of a woman named Alissa crossing a police roadblock, her subsequent arrest and later release after online appeals by influencers such as Fitiavana Mickael. Businesses and professionals posted messages describing loss and calls for justice, and LinkedIn posts from Lalaina Minah Ranaivomanana and Santatra Rakotovao appealed to human rights and international law observers to monitor the situation closely.
On September 27 President Andry Rajoelina dismissed Energy Minister Olivier Jean Baptiste. Protesters said a ministerial change would not be enough. It is not yet clear what next steps authorities or protest leaders will take to resolve the wider problems of service failures, public safety and accountability.
Difficult words
- mobilise — organise people to act togethermobilised
- ration — small controlled supply of somethingrations
- underperform — work or produce less than expectedunderperforming
- amplify — make something larger or strongeramplified
- crackdown — strong force by authorities to stop unrest
- vandalism — deliberate damage to public property
- curfew — require people to stay indoors at night
- dismiss — remove someone from an official jobdismissed
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- Do you think firing a minister is enough to solve long-term problems with services like electricity and water? Why or why not?
- How did social media and online networks affect public reaction and reporting in this situation? Give examples from the article.
- What short-term measures could authorities take to reduce unrest while they restore reliable water and electricity?
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