KING MSWATI III CONDEMNS UNCONSTITUTIONAL REMOVAL OF MADAGASCAR PRESIDENT

KING MSWATI III CONDEMNS UNCONSTITUTIONAL REMOVAL OF MADAGASCAR PRESIDENT

By Nokwanda Mamba
#SDN, 7 February 2026

MBABANE: The Incoming Chairman of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Troika, His Majesty King Mswati III, has called on all law enforcement agencies in the Republic of Madagascar to urgently restore constitutional normalcy following the unlawful removal of President Andry Rajoelina.

According to a Times of Eswatini report,the King made the call after receiving President Rajoelina during a courtesy visit, where the former head of state briefed him on the circumstances surrounding his unconstitutional removal from office. President Rajoelina was overthrown in October 2025 after his government was toppled by CAPSAT, an elite unit of the Madagascar Armed Forces.

According to established SADC protocols, any Head of State removed from office in an unconstitutional manner has the right to be heard before any punitive or corrective action is taken. At the time of his removal, President Rajoelina was serving as Chairperson, and under protocol, should have been granted an audience with the incoming Chairman of the SADC Troika. However, King Mswati III had been engaged in the annual Incwala Ceremony since the previous year, which delayed the consultation.

Before meeting President Rajoelina, King Mswati III held consultations with the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, as well as the Chairperson of SADC. Following these engagements and after listening to President Rajoelina’s account, the King affirmed that the removal of the Madagascar leader from office was unconstitutional. He further emphasised that President Rajoelina had been legitimately elected in accordance with Madagascar’s Constitution in 2023.

King Mswati III reiterated that SADC principles and protocols strongly oppose the unconstitutional removal of Heads of State and will continue to do so.

He expressed grave concern over the developments in Madagascar, noting that the unlawful removal of a sitting president violates both United Nations and African Union principles and frameworks.

The King also highlighted growing international concern over political instability on the continent, particularly in the context of the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” agenda, which seeks to end armed conflict and unconstitutional changes of government in Africa.