Madagascar to be under military rule for two years -- coup chief

ALGIERS, Oct 15 (KUNA) -- Colonel Michael Randrianirina, who has taken control of Madagascar after THE president fled following weeks of protests, declared on Wednesday a two-year interim period under his rule, to be followed with elections.
The colonel, in remarks broadcast by the national radio station, said there would be public referendum in two years' time to draft a new constitution, "to be followed with elections to form new institutions gradually." Randrianirina is chief of Madagascar's elite military CAPSAT unit, the group that brought now-deposed president Andry Rajoelina to power in a 2009 coup.
Since taking control this week, he has suspended the country's institutions, including the Senate, electoral commission and top legal bodies such as the High Constitutional Court.
Meanwhile, Rajoelina, on the Facebook presidency site, denied that he had been ousted and described presence of military troops around the presidential palace as a "coup." The country has been witnessing since last September protests over lack of water and power. The unrest developed into demonstrations demanding downfall of the regime. Later, military forces joined them and declared seizure of military bases across the country. (end) mr.rk