* She is southern Africa’s first female head of state
* Banda succeeds Bingu wa Mutharika, who died on Thursday
* Army and police chiefs back constitutional transition
(Adds White House comment, paragraphs 23-24)
By Mabvuto Banda
LILONGWE, April 7 (Reuters) – Prominent women’s rights
campaigner Joyce Banda was sworn in as Malawi’s president on
Saturday, becoming southern Africa’s first female head of state
and raising hopes for a fresh start in the small, poor nation
after the death of her mercurial predecessor.
Banda, a 61-year-old policeman’s daughter who has won
international recognition for championing the education of
underprivileged girls, had served as vice president under Bingu
wa Mutharika, who died on Thursday following a heart attack.
She succeeded him under the terms of the constitution.
Aid-dependent Malawi had slid into economic crisis over the
last year as Mutharika, a professorial but temperamental former
World Bank economist, squabbled with major western donors who
then froze millions of dollars of assistance.
Banda took the oath of office on Saturday in the
Chinese-built National Assembly in the capital Lilongwe, as
flags flew at half mast in mourning for Mutharika, whose death
was only officially announced by Malawi’s government on
Saturday.
Continued…
