Malawi’s first female president, Joyce Banda, came to power under peculiar circumstances. She was never elected as president, but as the country’s vice president she ascended into power after her male predecessor, Bingu Mutharika, died in office.
At the time of her installation, Malawi was going through turbulent times. The country was in the midst of a deep economic crisis and had undergone a process of serious democratic erosion. To make matters worse, the government had fallen out with the international donor community.
In this interview, President Banda and Michael Wahman discuss the obstacles to women's political leadership and the symbolic importance of a woman president, but also some of the limits that women leaders face in promoting fellow women while in power.
Hear more in the podcast below:
Episode Transcript
President Banda
new articleMichael Wahman
From Thin to Thick Representation: How a Female President Shapes Female Parliamentary Behavior
MSU Today airs Sunday mornings at 9:00 on 105.1 FM and AM 870 and streams at wkar.org. Find “MSU Today with Russ White” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.