Madagascar's Prime Minister Camille Vital said Wednesday he had dismissed armed forces minister General Noel Rakotonandrasana, following unconfirmed reports of a possible coup.

"From today, the prime minister is in charge of the armed forces ministry," Colonel Vital told the press.

Vital said the decision was made following "problems and rumours surrounding the army, which triggered fears about state governance".

Rakotonandrasana, then a colonel, led an army mutiny on March 8 last year in which president Marc Ravalomanana was ousted.

He was named armed forces minister when Andry Rajoelina, now Madagascar's strongman, took over.

Madagascar has been plunged into a serious leadership crisis since the end of 2008, when Rajoelina, a former mayor of Antananarivo, and his supporters began to challenge Ravalomanana, holding mass rallies.

On March 17, the African Union slapped sanctions on Rajoelina and dozens of his cohorts for failing to implement a political settlement reached in Maputo and its follow-up agreement in Addis Ababa.

Vital told AFP on Wednesday the armed forces minister had held meetings of which he had not been informed.

"We're putting two and two together and decided to replace him," he said.

Madagascar has been rife with rumours about an impending coup for days and security around the president's office was tightened late Friday.

Vital said he did not expect any negative army reaction to Rakotonandrasana's dismissal as "the army is not standing behind (Rakotonandrasana) but behind the Madagascan nation".

Rakotonandrasana is the second senior government minister to go, after the resignation of foreign minister Ny Hasina Andriamanjato in February.