Malagasy who were fortunate enough to have electricity experienced an eventful night of television on Monday, October 6. The two most powerful figures in the country – President Andry Rajoelina and his shadow adviser, businessman Mamy Ravatomanga, nicknamed "the vice president" – competed for airtime in an unprecedented way.

First, on the national channel TVM, the president announced the appointment of General Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as prime minister, one week after former prime minister Christian Ntsay's government was dismissed under mounting pressure from young people demanding an end to water and electricity cuts as well as the president's resignation.

Ravatomanga, who is also a target of Gen Z movement's anger, spoke on private television stations to attempt to convince the public that he is not the ruthless tycoon accused of exploiting his close ties to Rajoelina to seize parts of the national economy and eliminate his competitors. He also needed to deny that his newly created security company, Madagascar Security Academy, had secretly participated in the repression of protesters.

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