Joyce Banda

Joyce Hilda Banda (née Ntila; born 12 April 1950) is a Malawian politician, educator, and activist who served as the fourth president of Malawi from 2012 to 2014. She became president after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika, under whom she served as the fourth vice president from 2009 to 2012. A member of the People's Party, Banda has led the party since its creation in 2011, and was the first female president of Malawi and the second head of state, after Elizabeth II, and the second in Africa, after Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

Born in Malemia, Banda graduated from the Columbus University and the Royal Roads University with a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in arts, and the Atlantic International University with a bachelor's degree on social science in the early 1970s. She then founded the Joyce Banda Foundation, the National Association of Business Women (NABW), Young Women Leaders Network, and the Hunger Project. Banda joined politics in 1999 and was elected to the National Assembly as a member of the United Democratic Front (UDF) the party of President Bakili Muluzi.

In 2004, Banda was appointed Minister of Gender, Child Welfare, and Community Service by President Mutharika. During her time in the position, she enforced the 2006 Domestic Violence Bill, and also designed the National Platform for Action on Orphans and Vulnerable Children and the Zero Tolerance Campaign Against Child Abuse. Banda was later appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs where she switched Malawi's recognition from the Republic of China to the People's Republic of China in an attempt to bring economic growth to Malawi. In 2009, Mutharika ran for re-election and selected Banda as his running mate in the general election, with their ticket winning and she thus becoming the first vice president. Banda's term as vice president was marked by growing tensions between her and Mutharika as Banda refused to endorse Mutharika's brother, Peter, as his successor to the presidency. Banda was subsequently kicked out of the DPP and she founded the People's Party, but then remained vice president according to the Constitution.

In April 2012, Mutharika died and while according to the Constitution Banda as vice president becomes president. However, some members of the DPP who were loyal to Mutharika tried installing his brother as president, triggering a succession crisis. Despite this, Banda as stated by the law, became president with the support of the military, who backed the Constitution. In 2014, Banda lost the general election to Peter Mutharika, brother of the late Bingu. While Banda at first refused to concede and demand a rerun citing fruad, Banda eventually conceded and handed over power to Mutharika on 31 May.

In June 2014, Forbes named Banda as the 40th most powerful woman in the world and the most powerful woman in Africa. In October 2014, she was included in the BBC's 100 Women.