Madagascar: Gen Z arrests fuel doubts over military rule
From Focus on Africa by BBC World Service
April 23, 2026 · 23 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the implications of Gen Z protests in Madagascar and the broader economic challenges facing African nations.
In Madagascar, the arrest of Gen Z protesters is fuelling growing doubts about the military leadership that emerged after the 2025 uprising, as young activists question whether anything has truly changed. Elsewhere on the continent, a new report reveals a deepening economic squeeze: African countries are now paying nearly twice as much to borrow as they did in 2020, as shrinking aid forces governments to rely more heavily on costly debt. Presenter : Charles Gitonga Producers: Chiamaka Dike and Ayuba Iliya Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru Senior Producers: Blessing Aderogba and Keikantse Shumba Editors: Priyanka Sippy and Maryam Abdalla
People in this episode
Host: Charles Gitonga
Topics covered
- Madagascar
- Gen Z protests
- military leadership
- economic issues
- African debt crisis
Keywords
- Madagascar
- Gen Z
- military rule
- economic squeeze
- African countries
- debt
- protests
Mentioned in this episode
Places: Madagascar
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