Madagascar’s military leader, President Michael Randrianirina, announced on Thursday that candidates seeking ministerial positions in the new government will undergo polygraph testing to screen for corruption an unprecedented step in the island nation’s political history.
“We will know who is corrupt and who can help us,” Randrianirina told reporters, noting that the government has acquired a polygraph machine and hired a specialist to operate it. Candidates who fail the test will be barred from further consideration, while those who pass will proceed to interviews with the president and prime minister.
Randrianirina emphasized that the government does not expect absolute purity, stating, “We are not looking for someone who is 100% clean, but someone who is more than 60% clean.”
The announcement comes after Randrianirina, a colonel in an elite army unit, ousted President Andry Rajoelina in October following weeks of youth-led protests over poverty and unemployment. He recently dissolved the Cabinet and appointed a new prime minister, pledging to hold national elections within two years.
Observers say the polygraph measure reflects the leader’s attempt to consolidate authority and reassure the public amid ongoing political uncertainty.
