My Take On It:A snapshot of Malawi’s leaders in 57 years of independent rule, Part VII

No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. – Matthew 5:15

In the last chapter of the Snapshot of Malawi’s leaders, the call was made to Malawians to “face a few facts, former Malawi President Dr. Joyce H. Banda did not join politics and then gain prominence; as an advocate, she had risen to international, regional, and national prominence that joining politic became the obvious “What next(?)”question in her career path. The road to the stunning political life was filled with numerous and enviable milestones.

After she witnessed a lot of hurdles in her business ventures (bakery and tailoring), in 1991 Joyce Banda founded the National Association of Business Women (NABW). This is an apolitical grassroots organization that empowered thousands of women, predominantly rural, to become economically self-reliant through the provision of loans to run businesses; the association also organized training sessions to build the capacity of its members. By 1997, Joyce Banda was nominated and awarded the coveted Hunger Project Award for the Sustainable End to Hunger in Africa. She shared the award with Mozambique’s former President, Joaquim Chissano.

Banda used the award money to embark on project establishments’ journey in rural and urban centers in the country. Her signature one being the Joyce Banda Foundation School for Girls in Blantyre. In 2004 Banda contested for a Zomba parliamentary seat, won it, and was immediately given a ministerial post in the Women’s ministry. She was later promoted to the rank of foreign affairs minister. During Bingu’s second term bid, he selected Joyce Banda as his running mate.

Sadly, three years into his second term, and with a waned popularity rate, President Bingu wa Mutharika passed away, paving the way for Joyce Banda to become Malawi’s first female president. Outlined below, is a brief summary of the achievements President Banda accomplished in the short time she was Malawi’s leader

1.                The day President Mutharika died, there was no fuel, fuel to enable the new president and Malawians to attend the late presidents’ funeral. The Incoming President Banda negotiated with neighboring Zambian President  Sata who donated tankers of fuel to Malawi. Within one week later fuel supplies were provided and there was no shortage again.

2.                When she came in there were serious blackouts and load-shading that affected local the industry sector.

3.                She added 64 megawatts to the electricity grid and the blackout scourge was a thing of the past.  The increased wattage provided electricity to 27 trading centers in 24 months under MAREP 6.

4.                On her first day in office, diplomatic relations with our neighbors and development partners that had been broken including the U.K.  were restored. During Mutharika’s second term of office, the UK’s high commissioner was deported for censoring the president on corruption.

5.                In less than a year country’s diplomatic relations with many countries were restored on the global stage including MCC that had previously with had been suspended.

6.                When she came into the Presidency, companies were operating at 35% and laying off people through the inability of the government to provide forex for the industry to order raw materials and so companies were laying off people.

a.     In two years, companies were operating at 85% and re-employing people.

7. In 2011/12 the economy grew by 2.2%.

a)   In 2013 the economy grew by 6.3%.

8. In 2012 2 million people were food insecure.  

a.     In 2013 harvest was 3.9million metric tons, with 1.9 being overproduction.

9. In 2012 the Ministry of Health reported that over 600 women died giving birth.

a)   

with the use of networking and collaboration strategies, Malawi’s maternal mortality was reduced by 32%. A Malawi success story is told that is still being replicated throughout Africa; this is that of President Banda partnering with Malawi’s traditional leaders and private sector. The government built 20 holding shelters. The AU gave MALAWI an award for that achievement.

a)   Banned delivering of babies by traditional birth attendants.

b)   Implemented the OPTION B+ for pregnant women with HIV/AIDS in to have an AIDS-free generation.

10. The all-round water shortage ended.

a)     New water reservoirs were built in Blantyre, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, and Chitipa.

11. There was massive infrastructure projects were established in major centers in the country. These were the Mzuzu-Nkhata Bay Road, the Lilongwe By-Pass Road, and the Thekerani Road.

12. Banda’s administration also build a modern village outlook in each district.  

13. The government under Banda, implemented the pro-poor social projects such as a cow per family, one acre fund, safe motherhood, and cash transfers.

14. The Banda administration fought corruption.  During her two years in office, she arrested 72 looters, some that are still serving time for stealing K32 billion.

Malawi was fortunate to have a President like Joyce H. Banda; she was compassionate, resolute, kind-hearted, forward-thinking, a collaborator, and a networker. She is also results-driven and with extremely great accomplishment skills.