(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) RABAT, Oct 17 (KUNA) -- Army Colonel Michael Randrianirina was inaugurated on Friday as Madagascar's president after military people had controlled power and the former leader Andry Rajoelina, who left country following three-week protests, had been ousted.
In the presence of a number of senior military and civil officials, the inauguration ceremony was held at the constitutional court's headquarters in the capital, Antananarivo, local media reported.
After being sworn in, Randrianirina noted that what has happened could not be termed as "coup", affirming that the higher judicial body's agreement on giving power to him shows the process was done in line with legal procedures.
The new government will be civil, and the presidential council includes members of both military and civil institutions, he said.
He pledges to hold general polls in a period between 18 to 24 moths, indicating he gets ready to conduct consultations on appointing a premier as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Rajoelina's circles said he was ousted by a vote from the national association, and he left the country on October 11-12.
A statement by his office said he had to leave the country after he had received extremely dangerous and explicit threats to the life of the state's head.
Madagascar, which has faced a series of popular protests, is one of the poorest countries in the world as 80 percent of its population totaling 32 million lives on less than 80.2 euros per day, in accordance to the World Bank estimation. (end)
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