Clinton School assistant professor Warigia Bowman was recently interviewed by the BBC about the ascension of Joyce Banda to the presidency of Malawi following the death former of president Bingu wa Mutharika in early April.
Bowman said Banda, who was serving as vice president, was in line to become president under the country’s constitution but faced a brief, 24-hour power struggle with the president’s brother. After gaining support from the head of the military and others, Banda became the first female president of the country.
Bowman also discussed the affect of the leadership change on the region and the challenges facing Banda as she begins her term as president. Click the play button above to hear Bowman’s BBC interview.
Banda spoke in Little Rock as part of the Clinton School Speaker Series in February 2011. She previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Gender, Children’s Affairs and Community Services. Before entering politics, Banda was a grassroots gender rights activist. She founded the Joyce Banda Foundation, the National Association of Business Women, the Young Women Leaders Network and the Hunger Project. Click here to watch her lecture
Bowman is an assistant professor of social change at the Clinton School who has extensive experience consulting for development organizations in East Africa.
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