Pety Rakotoniaina

Pety Rakotoniaina (born 14 October 1962) is a Malagasy politician. He is the President of the Union (Tambatra) association and the Mayor of Fianarantsoa.

Born in Ikalamavony, Rakotoniaina studied at the University of Fianarantsoa Madagascar. In 1993, he was elected to the National Assembly as a Deputy of the Militants for the Progress of Madagascar (MFM) for the Ikalamavony district, winning 57% of the vote. He was re-elected with 83% of the vote in 1998.

In March 2002, during the conflicts following the December 2001 presidential election, Rakotoniaina was named President of the Special Delegation (Governor) of Fianarantsoa Province by Marc Ravalomanana. In April, forces supporting Didier Ratsiraka left the region's capital, and Rakotoniaina was able to take office. In May 2002, he founded the Union (Tambatra) political association.

Ravalomanana dismissed Rakotoniaina from his position on January 27, 2003, and replaced him with Ravelomanga Randrianarivo. Rakotoniaina attempted to hold on to power for several days, without success; objecting to his dismissal, he said: "No one, at any level of this regime, can claim to have done more for President Ravalomanana than I have." His wife was reportedly ambushed, along with other passengers in a vehicle, by gunmen in Isorana on May 31, 2003.

Rakotoniaina, having become an opponent of Ravalomanana and the ruling Tiako I Madagasikara (TIM) party and running as the Tambatra candidate, was elected as the Mayor of Fianarantsoa in the municipal election held on November 23, 2003; he defeated the TIM candidate, Raymond Ratovondrahona. There were rumors that the results might be cancelled and the election held over again, and Rakotoniaina said there was no valid reason for this to occur. His victory was, however, confirmed by the Fianarantsoa electoral court on December 11, 2003. An alleged assassination attempt against him also occurred on the same day.

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