Lie Detector Tests Introduced for Applicants Wanting to Become Ministers in Madagascar
By TUW
Madagascar’s transitional leadership has introduced an unusual screening process for individuals seeking positions in the country’s new Cabinet, with authorities confirming that all candidates will undergo polygraph examinations as part of efforts to fight corruption.
President Michael Randrianirina announced on Thursday that the government has obtained a lie-detector machine along with a trained specialist to conduct the tests. According to him, the move is intended to identify trustworthy officials before appointments are made.
Speaking to reporters, Randrianirina said applicants who fail the polygraph test will not be allowed to continue in the selection process, while those who pass will proceed to formal interviews with the president and the prime minister.
He explained that the administration is aiming to reduce corruption within government institutions, adding that the goal is not to find perfect candidates but rather individuals considered sufficiently honest to serve the country.
The new policy comes after recent political changes in the island nation. Randrianirina, a colonel from an elite military unit, took control of the government in October following weeks of protests led largely by young citizens frustrated by unemployment, poverty, and limited economic opportunities in the country of about 32 million people.
Following the takeover, the military-backed leader dismissed the entire Cabinet last week and later appointed a new prime minister as part of efforts to form a fresh administration.
Randrianirina has pledged that the current transitional government will organize national elections within the next two years, a promise he says is aimed at restoring constitutional rule and stability in Madagascar.
