Manandafy Rakotonirina
Encyclopedia
Manandafy Rakotonirina is a Malagasy
politician
. He has been a significant political figure in Madagascar since the 1970s, and in April 2009 he was appointed as Prime Minister by ousted President Marc Ravalomanana
.
, Amoron'i Mania
, he received his primary and secondary education in Ambositra
and Antsirabe
and attended the University of Antananarivo
. He then became an assistant at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie and a Professor of Sociology. As a convinced socialist, he joined the Madagasikara Otronin'ny Malagasy party, within which he called for the involvement of the proletariat
of Antananarivo
.
. On December 27, 1972, he founded the Movement for Proletarian Power (MFM) with Rakotonirainy Germain. In May 1973, he was again arrested in connection with a commemoration of May 1972.
Although the MFM did not actively oppose the regime of Didier Ratsiraka
when it came to power in 1975, Ratsiraka dissolved the party in September 1976 and Rakotonirina was placed under house arrest, which lasted until January 1977. Following this, he agreed to reform his party within the ruling National Front for the Defence of the Revolution coalition; he became a member of the Supreme Council of the Revolution and was entrusted with heading the Economic Commission.
Rakotonirina later contested the March 1989 presidential election
, receiving just under 20% of the vote and taking second place, behind Ratsiraka. From late 1991 to 1993, he was co-president of the transitional Committee for Economic and Social Recovery along with Richard Andriamanjato
. Rakotonirina was a candidate in the November 1992 presidential election, taking third place with 10.2% of the votes cast, behind Albert Zafy
and Ratsiraka. He was elected to the National Assembly
from Manandrina in the 1993 parliamentary election
, serving until 1998. He was a candidate for Prime Minister in the National Assembly vote on August 9, 1993, but came in third place, receiving 32 votes against 55 for the winner, Francisque Ravony
, and 46 for Roger Ralison (both of whom were from the pro-Zafy Committee of Active Forces).
Rakotonirina's party had moved towards liberalism
, and it renamed itself the Militant Party for the Development of Madagascar. He continued to lead the party through declining fortunes. In 2001, he played a major role in convincing Marc Ravalomanana
to claim a majority in the first round of the presidential election and to refuse to participate in a second round of voting. His alternative strategy of taking to the streets proved ultimately successful; Ravalomanana took over the Presidency, and Rakotonirina became a Special Advisor to the President.
Later, Rakotonirina stood against Ravalomanana in the December 2006 presidential election
. In the election, he received only 0.33% of the votes after experiencing difficulties distributing ballot
s to polling station
s. After being prevented from taking ballot papers to stations on the day of the election, he refused to cast his own vote and called for the election to be held over again.
President Ravalomanana was forced out of office by popular protests led by Andry Rajoelina
and military intervention in March 2009. He nevertheless insisted that he was the legitimate President, and on 16 April 2009 he announced from exile that he was appointing Rakotonirina as Prime Minister. Ravalomanana made this announcement by phone at a rally of his supporters in Antananarivo
, with Rakotonirina in attendance. Rakotonirina subsequently began working out of the Carlton hotel in Antananarivo, and he appointed ministers to occupy the key government portfolios on 28 April; he assigned himself responsibility for national defense. Soldiers with a warrant for Rakotonirina's arrest stormed the Carlton and arrested him on 29 April; they found him hiding in a bathroom after searching for about an hour. A spokesperson for Rajoelina described Rakotonirina as "the mastermind of last week's violence".
Rakotonirina was placed under house arrest
and put on trial for various charges, including incitement of disorder and usurpation of public office. He was, however, released from house arrest so that he could participate in talks between the Malagasy political factions that were held in Maputo
later in 2009 and were aimed at producing a political agreement to resolve the crisis. Subsequently, on 22 September 2009, Rakotonirina received a two-year suspended sentence
.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. He has been a significant political figure in Madagascar since the 1970s, and in April 2009 he was appointed as Prime Minister by ousted President Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana is a Malagasy politician who was the President of Madagascar from 2002 to 2009. A member of the Merina ethnic group, Ravalomanana served as Mayor of Antananarivo before becoming President in 2002...
.
Early life
Born in FandrianaFandriana
Fandriana is a town and commune in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Fandriana, which is a part of Amoron'i Mania Region. The population of the commune was estimated to be approximately 29,000 in 2001 commune census....
, Amoron'i Mania
Amoron'i Mania
Amoron'i Mania is a region in central Madagascar bordering Vakinankaratra Region in north, Atsinanana in northeast, Vatovavy-Fitovinany in southeast, Haute Matsiatra in south, Atsimo-Andrefana in southwest and Menabe in west. It is divided into four districts: Ambatofinandrahana, Ambositra,...
, he received his primary and secondary education in Ambositra
Ambositra
Ambositra is a city in central Madagascar.Ambositra is the capital of the Amoron'i Mania region, and of Ambositra District....
and Antsirabe
Antsirabe
Antsirabe is the third largest city in Madagascar and has a population of approximately 183,000. It's the capital of the Vakinankaratra region...
and attended the University of Antananarivo
University of Antananarivo
University of Antananarivo is the primary public university of Madagascar, located in the capital Antananarivo.The school traces its founding to 16 December 1955 and the formation of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Antananarivo. It quickly established itself as the main center for higher...
. He then became an assistant at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie and a Professor of Sociology. As a convinced socialist, he joined the Madagasikara Otronin'ny Malagasy party, within which he called for the involvement of the proletariat
Proletariat
The proletariat is a term used to identify a lower social class, usually the working class; a member of such a class is proletarian...
of Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
.
Political career
Rakotonirina was in favor of a popular uprising, and in April 1971 he was arrested. He helped organize the May 1972 protests against President Philibert TsirananaPhilibert Tsiranana
Philibert Tsiranana was a Malagasy politician and leader, who served as the first President of Madagascar from 1959 to 1972....
. On December 27, 1972, he founded the Movement for Proletarian Power (MFM) with Rakotonirainy Germain. In May 1973, he was again arrested in connection with a commemoration of May 1972.
Although the MFM did not actively oppose the regime of Didier Ratsiraka
Didier Ratsiraka
Vice Admiral Didier Ratsiraka is a Malagasy politician who was President of Madagascar from 1975 to 1993 and from 1997 to 2002.-Second Republic:...
when it came to power in 1975, Ratsiraka dissolved the party in September 1976 and Rakotonirina was placed under house arrest, which lasted until January 1977. Following this, he agreed to reform his party within the ruling National Front for the Defence of the Revolution coalition; he became a member of the Supreme Council of the Revolution and was entrusted with heading the Economic Commission.
Rakotonirina later contested the March 1989 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 1989
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 12 March 1989. Incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka of AREMA won with over 60% of the vote. Voter turnout was 81.04% of the 5,741,974 registered voters.-Results:...
, receiving just under 20% of the vote and taking second place, behind Ratsiraka. From late 1991 to 1993, he was co-president of the transitional Committee for Economic and Social Recovery along with Richard Andriamanjato
Richard Andriamanjato
Richard Mahitsison Andriamanjato is a former Malagasy politician.After leaving education, Andriamanjato became a Pastor. He also became involved with the nationalist cause. From 1950 to 1957, he studied in France. In 1957, he attended the Bandung Conference and became the leading figure in the...
. Rakotonirina was a candidate in the November 1992 presidential election, taking third place with 10.2% of the votes cast, behind Albert Zafy
Albert Zafy
Albert Zafy is a Malagasy politician. He was the President of Madagascar from 27 March 1993 to 5 September 1996.-Early life and career:...
and Ratsiraka. He was elected to the National Assembly
National Assembly of Madagascar
The Parliament has two chambers. The lower house is the National Assembly .The Assembly has 160 members, elected for a four year term in single-member and two-member constituencies...
from Manandrina in the 1993 parliamentary election
Malagasy parliamentary election, 1993
Parliamentary elections were held in Madagascar on 16 June 1993, the first following the approval of a new constitution in a referendum that reintroduced full multi-party democracy the previous year....
, serving until 1998. He was a candidate for Prime Minister in the National Assembly vote on August 9, 1993, but came in third place, receiving 32 votes against 55 for the winner, Francisque Ravony
Francisque Ravony
Francisque Ravony was a Malagasy lawyer and politician. He was a key political figure in Madagascar during the late 1980s and 1990s...
, and 46 for Roger Ralison (both of whom were from the pro-Zafy Committee of Active Forces).
Rakotonirina's party had moved towards liberalism
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
, and it renamed itself the Militant Party for the Development of Madagascar. He continued to lead the party through declining fortunes. In 2001, he played a major role in convincing Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana
Marc Ravalomanana is a Malagasy politician who was the President of Madagascar from 2002 to 2009. A member of the Merina ethnic group, Ravalomanana served as Mayor of Antananarivo before becoming President in 2002...
to claim a majority in the first round of the presidential election and to refuse to participate in a second round of voting. His alternative strategy of taking to the streets proved ultimately successful; Ravalomanana took over the Presidency, and Rakotonirina became a Special Advisor to the President.
Later, Rakotonirina stood against Ravalomanana in the December 2006 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 2006
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 December 2006. President Marc Ravalomanana, in office since he prevailed in a dispute over election results in 2002, ran for re-election...
. In the election, he received only 0.33% of the votes after experiencing difficulties distributing ballot
Ballot
A ballot is a device used to record choices made by voters. Each voter uses one ballot, and ballots are not shared. In the simplest elections, a ballot may be a simple scrap of paper on which each voter writes in the name of a candidate, but governmental elections use pre-printed to protect the...
s to polling station
Polling station
A polling place or polling station is where voters cast their ballots in elections.Since elections generally take place over a one- or two-day span on a periodic basis, often annual or longer, polling places are often located in facilities used for other purposes, such as schools, churches, sports...
s. After being prevented from taking ballot papers to stations on the day of the election, he refused to cast his own vote and called for the election to be held over again.
2009 Malagasy political crisis
President Ravalomanana was forced out of office by popular protests led by Andry Rajoelina
Andry Rajoelina
Andry Nirina Rajoelina , born May 30 1974, is the former mayor of Antananarivo who became transitional head of state of Madagascar on March 21, 2009 after the 2009 Malagasy political crisis....
and military intervention in March 2009. He nevertheless insisted that he was the legitimate President, and on 16 April 2009 he announced from exile that he was appointing Rakotonirina as Prime Minister. Ravalomanana made this announcement by phone at a rally of his supporters in Antananarivo
Antananarivo
Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....
, with Rakotonirina in attendance. Rakotonirina subsequently began working out of the Carlton hotel in Antananarivo, and he appointed ministers to occupy the key government portfolios on 28 April; he assigned himself responsibility for national defense. Soldiers with a warrant for Rakotonirina's arrest stormed the Carlton and arrested him on 29 April; they found him hiding in a bathroom after searching for about an hour. A spokesperson for Rajoelina described Rakotonirina as "the mastermind of last week's violence".
Rakotonirina was placed under house arrest
House arrest
In justice and law, house arrest is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to his or her residence. Travel is usually restricted, if allowed at all...
and put on trial for various charges, including incitement of disorder and usurpation of public office. He was, however, released from house arrest so that he could participate in talks between the Malagasy political factions that were held in Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
later in 2009 and were aimed at producing a political agreement to resolve the crisis. Subsequently, on 22 September 2009, Rakotonirina received a two-year suspended sentence
Suspended sentence
A suspended sentence is a legal term for a judge's delaying of a defendant's serving of a sentence after they have been found guilty, in order to allow the defendant to perform a period of probation...
.