Malawi,officially the Republic of Malawi,is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west,Tanzania to the north and northeast,and Mozambique to the east,south and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) and has an estimated population of 19,431,566. Malawi's capital is Lilongwe. Its second-largest is Blantyre,its third-largest is Mzuzu and its fourth-largest is its former capital,Zomba. The name Malawi comes from the Maravi,an old name for the Chewa people who inhabit the area. The country is nicknamed "The Warm Heart of Africa" because of the friendliness of its people.
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a political party in Malawi. The party was formed in February 2005 by Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the United Democratic Front (UDF),which was led by his predecessor,Bakili Muluzi.
George T. Chaponda is a Malawian career diplomat and politician who served as Malawi's Minister of Agriculture,Irrigation and Water Development from 2016 to 2017. He is a founding member of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and is a DPP Member of Parliament from Mulanje district in southern Malawi.
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian politician who was the President of Malawi from 7 April 2012 to 31 May 2014. Banda took office as President following the sudden death of President Bingu wa Mutharika. She is the founder and leader of the People's Party,created in 2011. An educator and grassroots women's rights activist,she was the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2009 and the Vice-President of Malawi from May 2009 to April 2012. She had served in various roles as a member of Parliament and as Minister of Gender and Child Welfare before she became the President of the Republic of Malawi.
Madame Ethel Mutharika was the First Lady of Malawi and wife of the President of Malawi,Bingu wa Mutharika. Madam Mutharika was born in Zimbabwe. As First Lady,wa Mutharika was known for her charitable work and had established the Ethel Mutharika Foundation in an effort to help the poor of Malawi. wa Mutharika died in Lilongwe after a long battle with cancer at the age of 63.
Madame Callista Chapola-Chimombo is a Malawian politician and the widow of President Bingu wa Mutharika. She served as the First Lady of the Republic of Malawi from 2010 to 2012. Chimombo is a previous member of the Cabinet of Malawi as a National Coordinator of Maternal,Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis.
Billy Abner Mayaya is a Malawian human rights activist,artist,poet and theologian.
Goodall Edward Gondwe is a Malawian economist who served in the cabinet of Malawi as Minister of Finance from 2014 to 2019. Previously he was Minister of Finance from 2004 to 2009,Minister of Local Government from 2009 to 2010,and Minister of Natural Resources,Energy and Environment Affairs from 2011 to 2012.
The history of human rights in Malawi during recent decades is complicated,and the situation at present is in a state of dramatic,and positive,transition.
Arthur Peter Mutharika is a Malawian politician and lawyer who was President of Malawi from May 2014 to June 2020. Mutharika has worked in the field of international justice,specialising in international economic law,international law and comparative constitutional law. He informally served as an adviser to his older brother,President Bingu wa Mutharika,on issues of foreign and domestic policy from the onset of his election campaign until the President's death on 5 April 2012.
Professor Peter Nelson Mwanza is a Malawian politician. He was appointed Minister of Lands,Housing and Urban Development in the government of President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi on 17 June 2009. He was reassigned to become Minister of Agriculture and Food Security in a cabinet reshuffle on 9 August 2010.
Sidik Mia was a Malawian businessman,politician,and Member of Parliament who held various ministerial positions within the Cabinet of Malawi beginning in 2004,serving as Minister of Transport and Public Works since June 2020. He was the Deputy President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP) until his death due to COVID-19 related illness on 12 January 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Malawi. He stood as the vice presidential running mate to Dr. Lazarus Chakwera in the 2019 Malawian general election.
Eta Elizabeth Banda is a former Malawian politician who was the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2009 to 2011. Prior to entering politics,she worked as a health professional and university administrator.
The 2011 Malawi protests were protests aimed at winning political and economic reforms or concessions from the government of Malawi. On 20 July,Malawian organisations protested against perceived poor economic management and poor governance by President Bingu wa Mutharika and his Democratic Progressive Party. After the first two days of protests,18 deaths,98 serious injuries and 275 arrests had been reported. Further demonstrations were organised on 17 August and 21 September The first protest was later cancelled due to the intervention of a UN representative in initiating a dialogue;however,the talks broke down with more protests planned for Red Wednesday through a national vigil.
Professor Blessings Chinsinga is a Malawian lecturer at the centre of the Malawi Academic Freedom Stand off and eventual protests. He was a Senior Lecturer in Development Administration,Public Policy Analysis and Institutions,and Development at University of Malawi's Chancellor College.
Peter Mukhito is the former Inspector General of Police in Malawi. He comes from Chiradzulu District. He has gained notoriety for his involvement in interrogating Blessings Chinsinga which began the stand off for academic freedom in Malawi between Chinsinga and President Bingu wa Mutharika. He was also involved in the investigation in the death of Robert Chasowa. Mukhito was also the Inspector General during the 2011 Malawian national protest against President Bingu wa Mutharika,that saw 19 Malawians killed.
Ralph Kasambara is a Malawian lawyer,who served as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General since April 2012. He also served as the former Attorney General under the administration of Bingu wa Mutharika during the early part of the administration. After which he became the legal representative of the then Malawian vice-president,Joyce Banda. Kasambara has been a critic of the administration of Bingu wa Mutharika,being vocal about grounds for impeachment and commenting that "wants to be a dictator". He was jailed in February 2012,after thugs went to his office with petrol bombs in an attempted arson plot,he called the police,together with supporters and restrained the perpetrators. Instead he was arrested for kidnapping and torture of the thugs. He was later released on bail,and then arrested again over the faulty bail procedures.
The 2012 Malawian constitutional crisis occurred from April 5,2012 - April 7,2012 after senior members of the Democratic Progressive Party-led cabinet failed to notify the public of the death of the sitting president,Bingu wa Mutharika on April 5. Instead,cabinet ministers held a series of meetings in Lilongwe,Malawi without vice-president Joyce Banda with the aim of undermining the constitution and Banda's succession to Presidency. News confirming his death had,however,quickly spread across the country through word of mouth,cellphone text messages,Malawian bloggers,Twitter,Facebook,and on listservs by the end of the day on April 5,2012. Therefore,the failure to announce his death resulted in speculation over the real health of the president and over whether the succession procedures would be followed as outlined in the constitution. According to the constitution,the vice-president takes over but there had been no official word on a successor or communication with the vice-president. Amidst growing speculation,the Cabinet announced that the president's brother,Peter Mutharika,the foreign minister,was the new President of the party on April 6. The Cabinet only announced his death two days after his death,after which Banda became Malawi's first female President.
Raphael (Ralph) Tenthani was a freelance journalist from Malawi. Tenthani was a BBC correspondent and a columnist for The Sunday Times. He was a respected journalist in Malawi well known for his popular column,"The Muckraking". He was well known for providing political analysis on topical issues. He had been the subject of controversy for his candid reporting on political issues. He was very critical of the crackdown on journalism during the Bingu wa Mutharika administration. He was also a columnist for Associated Press,Pan African News Agency,and the Maravi Post.
General elections were held in Malawi on 20 May 2014. They were Malawi's first tripartite elections,the first time the president,National Assembly and local councillors were elected on the same day. The presidential election was won by opposition candidate Peter Mutharika of the Democratic Progressive Party,who defeated incumbent President Joyce Banda.
