On Vice President Joyce Banda

She needs not be Ambassador
By Hastings Maloya

There shall never be a time without debate in Malawi. With the current political dispensation and freedom of expression, we are not running short of subjects for discussion on daily basis. Some issues are worth debating as they help us understand ourselves and our nation better.

Lately in the lame light is the issue of the Right Honourable Joyce Banda with allegations that she has been stripped of her mantle as the African Union (AU) Safe Motherhood Goodwill Ambassador. There are different schools of thoughts coming out with other people clearly expressing disappointment to the development.

My colleague on the opposite page is also not happy with the alleged decision and justifies his stand. For me, if indeed it is true, i do not see any problem and I do not understand why we should be debating this straight forward matter.

According to media reports Health Minister Moses Chirambo had written a memo in which he indicated that after due consultations, it has now occurred to his ministry that the portfolio of Safe motherhood commends itself more as a portfolio under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Community development and not the ministry of Health. A fact.

The memo, it was reported, further mentioned of the placement of the portfolio of Safe Motherhood, to which the Right Honourable was relieved. Not much information has been shared but its surprising how debate has come up and how government has been accused of wrong doing.

To a certain degree one wonders if indeed there has been some other sources of information in this regard that people have which some of us do not know. I will therefore avoid commenting much on speculations but rather whether is was necessary that our Vice President be an ambassador and whether indeed it is indeed extremely wrong to have her out of that position.

To begin with, the right honourable Joyce Hilda Banda is the first Malawian female Vice President and arguably among the most strong and industrious women the country has ever produced.

During the time that she has served as goodwill ambassador of safe motherhood she has managed to raise millions of Kwacha from the private sector to help in safe motherhood so that the country remains on track to achieving one of the UN Millennium Development Goals of reducing maternal mortality.

Widely involved in politics, Joyce Banda has served several roles, both as a legislator and Minister, before she was appointed incumbent President Dr Bingu wa Mutharika’s Vice during the 2009 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. Having served as Member of Parliament for Zomba Malosa Constituency, Banda has also served in several portfolios including Minister of Gender, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Amongst other achievements such as the Africa Prize for Leadership for the Sustainable end of Hunger by new-York based NGO the Hunger Project in 1997 which she shared with the then Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, Joyce Banda is also a widely celebrated female activist who in her lifetime has achieved a variety of great things aimed at further developing the Malawian woman.

The Vice President, our citizen number two, individually, is a force to be reckoned with. Joyce Banda not only has a story, but a legacy to go with it. She remains an inspiration.

To me, to maintain her as goodwill ambassador for ever is a matter of misusing resources. She has shown us what she is able to do and I am sure she can guide the nation how we can achieve more if those opportunities are left open. But maintaining her on this position is almost denying her and Malawians opportunities to see what more she has to offer to her country.

We need to move as a nation, by giving chances to others to learn. Even if she is not the ambassador, I am sure as second in command, in her capacity as Vice President she would still supervise activities of this office and advise where necessary.

Here is a woman so creative and knowledgeable. She has done it whether in business, politics, education and health. For sure she can also do it in other sectors like environment, culture, arts even sports if given a chance. Let other fields also benefit from her capabilities. I would suggest that she is given a chance to initiate things and help as many Malawians as possible learn and participate.

She is already an inspiration to many women and young girls not only in Malawi but far and wide. As we are all proud of her, my judgment is that she has more to offer to this nation than wanting her to cling to one position.

It is not wrong to relieve her of the current position. I look at it as an opportunity for her to concentrate on something different.

Let us also appreciate the fact in her elected capacity; she has a lot to do. It will be unfortunate and unfair to portray to the nation that her actual activity is being an ambassador for safe motherhood.

She is still our vice-president and the position of vice-president, the world over is very demanding... /ends