Banda sworn in as Malawi president
Bingu wa Mutharika
Malawi’s vice president Joyce Banda has been sworn in as president following her predecessor’s sudden death in office.
Today’s brief ceremony in Lilongwe, the capital of the impoverished southern African nation, ended more than a day of uncertainty.
Doctors had disclosed that 78-year-old president Bingu wa Mutharika had died of a heart attack on Thursday, but the government insisted until Saturday morning that he was only ill.
The delay in announcing Mr Mutharika’s death and allowing Ms Banda to step in led to speculation politicians were squabbling over succession.
Ms Banda had held on to her post of vice president despite falling out with Mr Mutharika, and the constitution dictated the vice president should take over if the president died.
Ms Banda is Malawi’s first woman president, and one of few women to have reached the top office in Africa.
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