Joyce Banda Member of Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health

 Joyce Banda Member of Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health

Joyce Banda became a member of the Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health,a group of sixteen sitting and former heads of state, high-level policymakers and other leaders committed to advancing reproductive health for lasting development and prosperity.

 Chaired by former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, these leaders seek to mobilise the political will and financial resources necessary to achieve universal access to reproductive health by 2015 – a key target of the UN Millennium Development Goals

By: Unknown On 23:18

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Joyce Banda’s son Roy Kachale Banda among parliamentary newbies sworn in

Former president Joyce Banda’s son, Roy Kachale Banda, on Monday was amongst the newcomers in the National Assembly who took oath of office as MP. Roy Kachale Banda is representing former ruling People’s Party (PP) for Zomba Malosa, a constituency which the former president once served.

Newly-elected Malawian parliamentarians were sworn in by Chief Justice Anastazia Msosa at the new parliament building in capital Lilongwe. The Zomba- Malosa MP said he was “pleased” that he is now officially a lawmaker after the swearing-in.

Apart from Roy Kachale Banda, Parliament has also another son of former president, Atupele Muluzi, who represent United Democratic Front (UDF) Machinga North East. Atupele, leader of UDF, is coming in parliament for the third time mandate.

The new parliament also features a married couple: Patricia and Angie Dishon Kaliati. The new MPs will serve five-year terms. Five lawmakers have already confirmed plans to vie for the post of parliament speaker when the house convenes for its first meeting next week.

There are 52 independent MPs in Malawi’s 193-member National Assembly. President Mutharika’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has 49 seats; the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) 48; the People’s Party (PP) of former president Joyce Banda 26; the United Democratic Front (UDF) 14; and one each for the Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) and Chipani Cha Pfuko (CCP).

With President Peter Mutharika’s constituency becoming vacant after he took the oath of office and with elections still to be held in the Blantyre North Constituency, only 191 MPs were sworn in.

By: Unknown On 23:10

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Joyce Banda Malawi's first female vice-president 2009-2012

Joyce Banda Malawi's first female vice-president 2009-2012

Banda ran as the vice-presidential candidate of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) in the 2009 presidential election, running alongside Mutharika, the DPP presidential candidate.

She served as Malawi's first female vice-president, before becoming the country's first woman president on Mutharika's death. In a surprise move by the DPP, Joyce Banda and second vice-president Khumbo Kachali were fired as the vice-Presidents of the DPP on 12 December 2010 for undefined 'anti-party' activities.

 In attempts to ostracise her, the president had continued to give roles that were previously held by her to Callista Mutharika who was included in the cabinet in September 2011.The court had blocked attempts by Bingu wa Mutharika to fire her as Vice-President on constitutional grounds.

 This included attempts to seize her official government vehicle and to block her from registering her new party. On 8 September 2011, the role of Vice-President was left out in a cabinet reshuffle. However, she was still the legal Vice-President of the country as mandated by the constitution. She was urged by DPP spokesman Hetherwick Ntaba to resign as Vice-President.

By: Unknown On 22:50

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