Joyce Banda

Joyce Banda
Banda in 2013
4th President of Malawi
In office
7 April 2012 – 31 May 2014
Vice PresidentKhumbo Kachali
Preceded byBingu wa Mutharika
Succeeded byPeter Mutharika
Vice President of Malawi[1]
In office
29 May 2009 – 7 April 2012
PresidentBingu wa Mutharika
Preceded byCassim Chilumpha
Succeeded byKhumbo Kachali
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
1 June 2006 – 29 May 2009
PresidentBingu wa Mutharika
Preceded byGeorge Chaponda
Succeeded byEtta Banda
Minister of Gender, Child Welfare, and Community Service
In office
2004–2006
PresidentBingu wa Mutharika
Personal details
Born
Joyce Hilda Ntila

(1950-04-12) 12 April 1950 (age 74)
Malemia, Nyasaland
(now Malawi)
Political partyUnited Democratic Front (Before 2004)
Democratic Progressive Party (2004–2010)
People's Party (2011–present)
Spouse(s)Roy Kachale (Before 1981)
Richard Banda
Children5
Alma materColumbus University
Atlantic International University
Royal Roads University
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Joyce Hilda Banda (née Ntila; born 12 April 1950[2]) is a Malawian politician, who served as President of Malawi, from 7 April 2012 to 31 May 2014. Banda took office as President following the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party, created in 2011.[3] An educator and grassroots women's rights activist, she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and the Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to April 2012.[4] She has served in various roles as a member of Parliament and as Minister of Gender and Child Welfare before she became the President of the Republic of Malawi.[5]

Prior to her political career, she founded the Joyce Banda Foundation, the National Association of Business Women (NABW), Young Women Leaders Network and the Hunger project.

Banda was Malawi's fourth president[6] its first female president and second female head of state, after Elizabeth II. She was the second woman to become the president in the African continent,[5] after Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She was also the country's first female vice-president.[7] In June 2014, Forbes named President Banda as the 40th most powerful woman in the world and the most powerful woman in Africa.[8] In October 2014, she was included in the BBC's 100 Women.[9]

  1. ^ "Dr Joyce Banda". Archived from the original on 26 April 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  2. ^ "EW's big Interview: Joyce Banda". The Nation. 21 September 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  3. ^ Malawi, People's Party. "People's Party". People's Party Malawi. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Joyce Banda sworn in as new Malawi president". The BBC. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  5. ^ a b "Joyce Banda". Wilson Center. 1 August 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2019.
  6. ^ Mwagiru, Ciugu (18 April 2012). "Malawi's Joyce Banda and the rise of women in African politics". Daily Monitor. Kampala, Uganda. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2012.
  7. ^ Olamitoke, Toluwani (14 April 2012). "As Fate Throws Leadership in Joyce Banda's Path...Becomes Malawi's First Female President". Nigerian Tribune. Archived from the original on 14 April 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
  8. ^ "The World's 100 Most Powerful Women". Forbes. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Who are the 100 Women 2014?". BBC. 26 October 2014.