Social issues took center stage at the opening ceremony of the lower house's extraordinary session. Speaking for deputies, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko called for acceleration of water and electricity projects.

The subject is unavoidable. It was difficult to ignore the social situation during yesterday's opening ceremony of the National Assembly's extraordinary session at Tsimbazaza. Beyond purely political matters, the resurgence of lengthy power cuts in the Antananarivo Interconnected Network (RIA) loomed over the event. Electricity outages in several neighborhoods have also caused water supply disruptions, as electric pumping stations are also offline. Facing this situation, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko, president of the lower house, called on the Executive to accelerate projects meant to provide lasting solutions to water and electricity problems.

In his address, the head of the Tsimbazaza institution attempted to smooth things over. He highlighted ongoing projects to demonstrate that authorities are working to find immediate and lasting solutions. For water, he noted that over one thousand water supply infrastructures have been built or rehabilitated benefiting one million people. Work under the Water Access Improvement Project (PAAEP) is also underway. However, the dry season reveals structural and technical gaps that still need to be addressed. The situation is even more acute regarding electricity supply.

Due to low water levels, hydroelectric plant performance is minimal. Thermal plants cannot keep pace and fill the gap. Most engines are outdated and often fail when pushed to full capacity. Whether due to insufficient production or technical failures, households suffer from power cuts. Yesterday, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko also explained that recent lengthy outages in certain RIA zones "resulted from theft of 28 kilometers of electrical cable on RN1 (National Road number 1), compounded by theft of 600 meters of cable yesterday [Wednesday]."

The man at the podium called these acts "destabilization." Thefts and vandalism are only part of the failures in electricity production and supply. Here too, the National Assembly president tried to downplay the problem's scale by noting that solar power plant construction projects totaling 44 megawatts for the RIA are underway. Nevertheless, he concedes "one must not confuse completed or ongoing work with projects being implemented."

Speaking on behalf of Tsimbazaza institution members, Siteny Randrianasoloniaiko thus demands that "the various stages and implementation timelines of projects must be transparently communicated to the population." He reiterates his call to the executive to accelerate projects, especially in water and electricity. Problems in these sectors triggered the demonstrations that toppled Andry Rajoelina, former president. Nearly a year after September and October 2025 protests began, the issue remains at the heart of households' daily concerns.

Upon his return from France and Belgium last week, Colonel Michaël Randrianirina, head of state, himself acknowledged that in the energy sector, it had been "patching holes" so far. According to him, the Refoundation administration plans to undertake structural projects to provide lasting solutions. Restarting the Volobe project is one example. However, this project's completion will take several years. Projects offering quick and medium-term solutions were identified during a World Bank meeting led by Prime Minister Mamitiana Rajaonarison at Mahazoarivo palace last week.

Accelerating solar projects was notably highlighted during this Mahazoarivo meeting. Financing for this would be available from the World Bank. However, administrative burden, significantly delaying fund disbursement, was flagged during discussions. In response, the Prime Minister's office is considering policy with other stakeholders on proper use of public funds. Reform of disbursement procedures would be...