Herizo Razafimahaleo
Encyclopedia
Herizo Jossicher Razafimahaleo (February 21, 1955 – July 25, 2008) was a politician in Madagascar
. He ran for President three times, and he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 1997 to 1998.
As a youth, Herizo Razafimahaleo was a prominent Malagasy swimmer and set his country's record for being the longest uninterrupted breaststroke champion
.
He attended the University of Antananarivo and later the University of Michigan
's Ross School of Business
where he obtained his MBA (later on in his life he also attended the University of Cambridge
and Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government
).
Razafimahaleo was economic adviser to President Didier Ratsiraka
from 1989 to 1991. He founded the LEADER Fanilo
party in 1992 and was elected to the National Assembly
in June 1993 from Ambositra
. Razafimahaleo was named Minister of Industrial Promotion and Tourism in the government of Prime Minister Francisque Ravony
in August 1993, but resigned from this position in July 1994. He founded the newspaper L'Express de Madagascar in 1995.
Razafimahaleo was the LEADER-Fanilo candidate in the November 1996 presidential election
, winning 15.13% of the vote and taking third place. On December 28 he announced his support for Ratsiraka in the second round of the election, which was held on the next day; Razafimahaleo's support has been considered crucial in enabling Ratsiraka's narrow victory over Albert Zafy
.
Ratsiraka took office as president on February 9, 1997, and in the new government of Prime Minister Pascal Rakotomavo
, named on February 27, Razafimahaleo became Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs; he was one of three deputy prime ministers. He was not included in the subsequent government of Prime Minister Tantely Andrianarivo
, formed in July 1998.
Razafimahaleo was again a candidate in the December 2001 presidential election
, winning about 4% of the vote and taking fourth place. Amidst the crisis that followed this election, with Ratsiraka and his main challenger, Marc Ravalomanana
, disputing the election results, Razafimahaleo resigned as National President of LEADER-Fanilo and withdrew from politics on May 18, 2002.
He began a return to active politics with a press conference on January 24, 2006, in which he was sharply critical of Ravalomanana. He officially announced on September 1, 2006, that he would run for president again in the December 2006 election. In the days prior to the election some observers considered him the main challenger to Ravalomanana, the incumbent president. Razafimahaleo took 9.03% of the vote and came in fourth place according to official results. His best result was in Antsiranana Province
, where he won 22.44% of the vote, followed by Fianarantsoa Province
, where he won 16.37%.
Razafimahaleo opposed the constitutional changes proposed in the 2007 constitutional referendum
and participated in a national committee that campaigned for a "no" vote as a coordinator of action.
Razafimahaleo died on 25 July 2008 in Antananarivo
after being hospitalized due to renal failure
that led to dehydration
. He suffered four heart attacks and died in the hospital. His family declined any posthumous honors for Razafimahaleo from the government. His body was taken from Antananarivo to Ambositra on July 29 for his funeral there on July 30.
Herizo Razafimahaleo leaves a formidable legacy behind him and is hailed as the father of political ethics
in Madagascar.
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. He ran for President three times, and he served as Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 1997 to 1998.
As a youth, Herizo Razafimahaleo was a prominent Malagasy swimmer and set his country's record for being the longest uninterrupted breaststroke champion
Champion
A champion is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition.There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, and even further divisions at one or more of these levels, as in soccer. Their champions...
.
He attended the University of Antananarivo and later the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's Ross School of Business
Ross School of Business
The Stephen M. Ross School of Business is the business school of the University of Michigan. Numerous publications have ranked the Ross School of Business' Bachelor of Business Administration , Master of Business Administration and Executive Education programs among the top in the country and the...
where he obtained his MBA (later on in his life he also attended the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
).
Razafimahaleo was economic adviser to President 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:...
from 1989 to 1991. He founded the LEADER Fanilo
Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery
Economic Liberalism and Democratic Action for National Recovery is a political party in Madagascar...
party in 1992 and 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...
in June 1993 from Ambositra
Ambositra
Ambositra is a city in central Madagascar.Ambositra is the capital of the Amoron'i Mania region, and of Ambositra District....
. Razafimahaleo was named Minister of Industrial Promotion and Tourism in the government of Prime Minister 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...
in August 1993, but resigned from this position in July 1994. He founded the newspaper L'Express de Madagascar in 1995.
Razafimahaleo was the LEADER-Fanilo candidate in the November 1996 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 1996
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 3 November 1996, with a second round on 29 December 1996. The election followed the impeachment of incumbent President Albert Zafy and the appointment of his interim successor, Norbert Ratsirahonana....
, winning 15.13% of the vote and taking third place. On December 28 he announced his support for Ratsiraka in the second round of the election, which was held on the next day; Razafimahaleo's support has been considered crucial in enabling Ratsiraka's narrow victory over 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:...
.
Ratsiraka took office as president on February 9, 1997, and in the new government of Prime Minister Pascal Rakotomavo
Pascal Rakotomavo
Pascal Joseph Rakotomavo was a Malagasy politician. He was the Prime Minister of Madagascar from 21 February 1997 to 23 July 1998....
, named on February 27, Razafimahaleo became Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Foreign Affairs; he was one of three deputy prime ministers. He was not included in the subsequent government of Prime Minister Tantely Andrianarivo
Tantely Andrianarivo
René Tantely Gabrio Andrianarivo was a politician in Madagascar. He was the Prime Minister of Madagascar from 23 July 1998 until 31 May 2002, under President Didier Ratsiraka....
, formed in July 1998.
Razafimahaleo was again a candidate in the December 2001 presidential election
Malagasy presidential election, 2001
Presidential elections were held in Madagascar on 16 December 2001. Initial results suggested a second round was necessary, with neither of the main candidates, incumbent President Didier Ratsiraka and Marc Ravalomanana. However, Ravalomanana rejected the results and declared himself President in...
, winning about 4% of the vote and taking fourth place. Amidst the crisis that followed this election, with Ratsiraka and his main challenger, 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...
, disputing the election results, Razafimahaleo resigned as National President of LEADER-Fanilo and withdrew from politics on May 18, 2002.
He began a return to active politics with a press conference on January 24, 2006, in which he was sharply critical of Ravalomanana. He officially announced on September 1, 2006, that he would run for president again in the December 2006 election. In the days prior to the election some observers considered him the main challenger to Ravalomanana, the incumbent president. Razafimahaleo took 9.03% of the vote and came in fourth place according to official results. His best result was in Antsiranana Province
Antsiranana Province
Antsiranana is a former province of Madagascar with an area of 43,406 km2. It had a population of 1,188,425 . Its capital was Antsiranana. Notable is Ankarana Reserve.Antsiranana Province bordered the following provinces:...
, where he won 22.44% of the vote, followed by Fianarantsoa Province
Fianarantsoa Province
Fianarantsoa is a former province of Madagascar.*Area: 103,272 km2.*Population of 3,366,291 .*Capital: Fianarantsoa.*President: Fidy Mpanjato Rakotonarivo .One of its towns was Andohapatsakana...
, where he won 16.37%.
Razafimahaleo opposed the constitutional changes proposed in the 2007 constitutional referendum
Malagasy constitutional referendum, 2007
A constitutional referendum was held in Madagascar on 4 April 2007. The proposed changes, which voters were asked to approve or reject as a whole, included:*expansion of presidential powers in cases of emergency...
and participated in a national committee that campaigned for a "no" vote as a coordinator of action.
Razafimahaleo died on 25 July 2008 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....
after being hospitalized due to renal failure
Renal failure
Renal failure or kidney failure describes a medical condition in which the kidneys fail to adequately filter toxins and waste products from the blood...
that led to dehydration
Dehydration
In physiology and medicine, dehydration is defined as the excessive loss of body fluid. It is literally the removal of water from an object; however, in physiological terms, it entails a deficiency of fluid within an organism...
. He suffered four heart attacks and died in the hospital. His family declined any posthumous honors for Razafimahaleo from the government. His body was taken from Antananarivo to Ambositra on July 29 for his funeral there on July 30.
Herizo Razafimahaleo leaves a formidable legacy behind him and is hailed as the father of political ethics
Ethics
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime, etc.Major branches of ethics include:...
in Madagascar.