Joyce Banda
Joyce Banda 4th President of Malawi In office 7 April 2012 – 31 May 2014 Vice President Khumbo Kachali Preceded by Bingu wa Mutharika Succeeded by Peter Mutharika Vice-President of Malawi In office 29 May 2009 – 7 April 2012 President Bingu wa Mutharika Preceded by Cassim Chilumpha Succeeded by Khumbo Kachali Minister of Foreign Affairs In office 1 June 2006 – 29 May 2009 Preceded by George Chaponda Succeeded by Etta Banda Personal details Born Joyce Hilda Ntila (1950-04-12) 12 April 1950 (age 64) Malemia, Nyasaland (now Malawi) Political party United Democratic Front (Before 2004) Democratic Progressive Party (2004–2010) People's Party (2011–present) Spouse(s) Roy Kachale (Before 1981) Richard Banda Children 5 Alma mater Columbus University Atlantic International University Royal Roads University Joyce Hilda Banda (née Mtila; born 12 April 1950) is a Malawian politician who was the President of Malawi from 7 April 2012 to 31 May 2014. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party, created in 2011. An educator and grassroots women's rights activist, she was Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to April 2012. Banda took office as president following the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. She was Malawi's fourth president and its first female president. Before becoming president, she served as the country's first female vice-president. She was a member of parliament and Minister for Gender, Children's Affairs and Community Services. Before her active career in politics she was the founder of the Joyce Banda Foundation, founder of the National Association of Business Women (NABW), Young Women Leaders Network and the Hunger Project. In 2014, Forbes named President Banda as the 40th most powerful woman in the world and the most powerful woman in Africa.