Michael Randrianirina, President of Madagascar, who came to power after a coup in October, has announced that all candidates seeking ministerial positions in his new government will undergo lie detector (polygraph) tests to screen for corruption.
President Randrianirina said the government recently acquired the necessary equipment and expertise to conduct the tests, emphasizing that candidates who fail will be disqualified before reaching the interview stage. Those who pass, he noted, will be interviewed by both the president and the prime minister.
The move comes after President Randrianirina dissolved the previous government and dismissed the Cabinet, following widespread public dissatisfaction over poor services and limited opportunities. He had earlier ousted former president Andry Rajoelina amid protests driven largely by young citizens in the impoverished island nation.
President Randrianirina stated that the goal is not to find perfectly clean candidates, but individuals who are “more than 60% clean,” as part of efforts to curb corruption in government.
