Bingu wa Mutharika

Bingu wa Mutharika
President of Malawi
In office 24 May 2004 – 5 April 2012
Vice President	Cassim Chilumpha Joyce Banda
Preceded by	Bakili Muluzi
Succeeded by	Joyce Banda
Chairperson of the African Union
In office 31 January 2010 – 31 January 2011
Preceded by	Muammar Gaddafi
Succeeded by	Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo
Personal details
Born	(1934-02-24)24 February 1934 Thyolo, Nyasaland Protectorate (now Malawi)
Died	5 April 2012(2012-04-05) (aged 78) Lilongwe, Malawi
Political party	Democratic Progressive Party (2005–present)
Other political affiliations	United Democratic Front (Before 2005)
Spouse(s)	Ethel Mutharika (Before 2007) Callista Chimombo (2010–present)
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Delhi California Miramar University

Bingu wa Mutharika (24 February 1934 – 5 April 2012) was the President of Malawi. He was first elected on 24 May 2004. He was also the president of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, which has a majority in Malawi's parliament as a result of the 2009 general election. He died of a heart attack in Lilongwe on 5 April 2012.

Early life and career

Bingu wa Mutharika was born Ryson Webster Thom on 24 February 1934 in Thyolo. Both of Mutharika's parents, Ryson Thom Mutharika and Eleni Thom Mutharika, were both members of the Church of Scotland Mission which later became CCAP. His father believed in education as the key to success and was a teacher for 37 years; his mother taught the women of the Mvano group.

Upon completing his primary education at Ulongwe Mission and Chingoli, Mulanje, Ntambanyama, Malamulo, in Thyolo and Henri Henderson Institute, Blantyre, the young Thom obtained a Grade A Cambridge Overseas School Leaving Certificate at Dedza Secondary School in 1956. In 1964, Mutharika was one of the 32 Malawians selected by Hastings Kamuzu Banda (President of Malawi 1961-1994) to travel to India on an Indira Gandhi scholarship for 'fast track' diplomas. The BBC reports that he went to India to "escape then President Hastings Banda's crackdown on political opponents". At some point during the 1960s, he also changed his name, to Bingu wa Mutharika. In India, Mutharika earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics. Subsequently, he attended the Delhi School of Economics graduating with a M.A. degree in Economics. He later obtained a Ph.D. degree in Development Economics from Pacific Western University of Los Angeles, California (USA). Mutharika also attended dozens of short courses on Business Management, Financial Analysis, Trade Promotion, Political Leadership, regional Economic Co-operation and Human Relations.

Mutharika also served in the Malawi civil service. As an economist and international diplomat, he has made contributions to world economic development. He has held high level management positions having served as Administrative Officer in the Government of Malawi and Zambia; He was offered the Deputy Governorship of the reserve Bank of Malawi and appointed Minister of Economic Planning and Development in 2002.

He also worked at the World Bank as a Loans Officer and at the United Nations Economic Commission of Africa as Director of Trade and Development Finance and as Secretary General of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa COMESA, covering 22 Member States

Bingu wa Mutharika with Barack and Michelle Obama.

Presidential campaigns (1999-2009)

Mutharika co-founded the then "underground" United Democratic Front in 1992. In 1999, he stood as a candidate in the presidential election, finishing last.

2004 presidential campaign

Bingu wa Mutharika was nominated by then President Muluzi as his successor. Mutharika won the presidential election on 20 May 2004, ahead of John Tembo and Gwanda Chakuamba, and took office a few days later.

On 7 October 2006, Mutharika stated his intention to seek re-election in the 2009 presidential election as the DPP candidate. Two years later, in October 2008, the DPP's national governing council unanimously chose Mutharika as the party's candidate for the 2009 election. Mutharika stood as a candidate for the presidency for the 2009 elections. Due to the success of Malawi's economy during his previous presidential term, he was elected with a landslide 66.7% of votes.

First term

In 2005, thanks to the adoption of the Agricultural Input Subsidy Programme, Malawi succeeded in restoring national food security by increasing access to fertilizer and improved seeds by poor farmers and other vulnerable population groups. President Mutharika has a proven track record in using smart, appropriate and resource efficient technologies to advance rural community development. President Mutharika was credited for his bold reforms which transformed the country, long characterized by chronic food shortages, hunger and poverty, to one that today boasts food surpluses over and above its food requirements. During President Mutharika's first term in office (2004-2008), the country achieved a high rate of agricultural production and food security. The President's initiatives benefited approximately 1,700,000 resource poor smallholder farmers by providing access to improved farm inputs. In the 2005/2006 crop season, Malawi achieved a food surplus of more than 500,000 metric tons. During the 2008/2009 planting season, food surpluses topped 1.3 million metric tons. The President's leadership and vision has enabled Malawi to become a food basket capable of exporting food to other countries in Southern Africa.

To achieve his revolution, aptly called “Green revolution”, the President overhauled the country's development policies and programs to transform Malawi's economy based on the following:

• Prioritization of agriculture and food security to ensure the country becomes self-sufficient
• Prioritization of irrigation and water development to reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture
• Expansion and improvement of transport and communications infrastructure that would ease movement of goods, services and people within the country and provide easy access to international services such as markets, industries, etc.
• Development of energy to cater for expanded industrialization of raw materials for value addition
• The prevention and management of HIV/AIDS as a medical, economic, political, social and cultural problem that challenges economic transformation and capacity building.

Second term

Domestic policy

Malawi, under President Mutharika, has grown into a strong political system with a constitution that enshrines basic human rights, separation of power, and the rule of law. The 2009 national elections were heralded as being free, fair, democratic, and a model for Africa with increasingly proficient performance. The Presidential and Parliamentary elections were regarded as a major step forward in Malawi's political democracy1. President Mutharika has also been creditied with demonstrating commitment to economic reform, fiscal restraint and efficient reinforcement of anti-corruption measures. As a result, President Mutharika has been praised for the Malawi's government commitment to enforce stricter public expenditure management, as well as zero tolerance policy for corruption. The achievements in both of these areas over a short period of time are impressive, and have already provided economic and social benefits that have been recognized by the IMF.

Unfortunately, however, in more recent years the reputation of the president as a successful and democratic reformer has been significantly eroded. For many years, Bungu has moved to extend his presidency. In 2011 during protests sparked by worsening fuel shortages, rising prices and high unemployment - during which the resignation of the president was demanded - Malawi's health ministry confirmed deaths in the northern cities of Karonga and Mzuzu as a result of police using live ammunition to quell protests.

Food security

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (left) with Bingu wa Mutharika (right).

Heeding the call from the President, Malawi mobilized 150 metric tons of rice which was shipped to Haiti following the earthquake in January 2010. In addition to championing food security in Malawi, President Mutharika has expanded his plan to encompass a wider African reach. While Chairman of the African Union in 2010, the President laid down a road map for Africa to achieve sustainability and food security. He proposed a new partnership with other African nations, fittingly called the “African Food Basket”, outlining a strategy incorporating subsidies to small farmers, especially women, improvements in irrigation, and improving agriculture and food security over 5 years through innovative interventions that comprise subsidies, increased budgetary allocations, private sector investment and affordable information and communications technology. Currently, approximately half of the country's subsistence farmers receive vouchers which provide discounts on high quality maize seed and fertilizer. To sustain the program, the Malawi Government has allocated 11 percent of its budget for 2010/2011 to agriculture, continuing a rare record of commitment on this scale in Africa. Aided by a succession of favourably rainy seasons, this strategy has brought about a dramatic recovery in food security. Bumper harvests enabled Malawi to navigate through the international food and fuel crisis of 2008, leading to a minimal amount of households requiring food aid in that period.

Economic policy

In 2009, Malawi's Ministry of Finance estimated that during the previous four years the share of Malawians living below the poverty line fell from 52 percent to 40 percent. The increase in rural incomes resulted from Mutharika's government subsidizing the input costs for fertilizers and high-yielding maize seeds for poor farmers.

AU chair 2010

On 31 January 2010, Mutharika replaced Muammar al-Gaddafi as leader of the African Union after his attempt to run as AU chair for an additional year failed. Mutharika was Malawi's first head of state to assume the position of AU chair. In his acceptance speech as AU chair he reiterated that "Africa is not a poor continent, but the African population are poor" and called for "Africa to develop Africa". He shared his vision for the African Food Basket Initiative by making food security a priority in his agenda.

G20 summit

On 4 April he attended the 50th anniversary in celebration of Senegal independence as AU chair. He also attended the G8 summit in Canada and the G20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea.

On 26 July, he attended the AU summit in Kampala, Uganda. His speech here concentrated on condemning the International Criminal Court (ICC) for issuing a warrant to arrest Omar al Bashir because it undermined African authority. They adopted the African Food Basket Initiative here which was presented to the UN on 29 September 2010. On 6 September 2010, he attended the inauguration of Rwandas Paul Kagame. He attended the Iran-Africa Conference which aimed at strengthening ties between Iran and African countries. During a speech at Boston University, Mutharika defended his subsidy program and noted that although western countries say African governments should not subsidize agriculture, western governments subsidies their own farmers. Malawi hosted Africas first conference that brought together Ministers of Agriculture in Africa where they were urged to fight for subsidies in agriculture. He did not attend the Africa-EU Trade summit in Libya but no official reason was provided for this move. During his tenure, he joined international calls for Laurent Gbagbo in Ivory Coast to accept defeat in 2010 elections in the Ivory Coast.

Family and personal life

He was married to Ethel Zvauya Mutharika, from Zimbabwe. Mutharika and Ethel had four children together. Ethel Mutharika died of cancer on 28 May 2007.

In 2010, Mutharika announced he planned to marry Callista Chapola-Chimombo, a former Minister of Tourism. The two were married in 2010.

Mutharika has a brother, Peter Mutharika, who was a lecturer at Washington University in St. Louis. In May 2009, he was elected to the Malawian Parliament, and was subsequently appointed to the Malawi Cabinet as Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. He has held other cabinet positions.

Death

He died of a heart attack in Lilongwe on 5 April 2012, after being admitted to hospital. The media reported "chaotic scenes" after his wife, Calista, and other cabinet members were leaving the hospital. His condition was initially announced as "critical," Vice President Joyce Banda wishing him a quick recovery. In reaction, police were deployed across the national capital with 15 Army officers posted at the Vice President's residence.

His death sparked activity across social networking sites in Africa, many pointing to a prophecy given by popular Nigerian Prophet T.B. Joshua that the death of an elderly African president was imminent .

Titles, honours and awards

Mutharika has picked up the following awards:

• The United Nations Special Millennium development Goal Award (2010) for success towards eliminating hunger by enhancing food security ahead of the 2015 MDG deadline (Goal 1 – ending poverty and hunger)

• COMESA Distinguished Award (2010) for exceptional leadership and distinguished service to COMESA and the integration of Africa as Secretary General of COMESA form 1991 to 1997. The Authority specifically commended Mutharika for his contribution to the realization of the Abuja Treaty objectives towards African integration.

• Southern Africa Trust Drivers of Change Award (2009) for changing Malawi from a country in perpetual food deficit to one that is entirely food-sufficient. “The boom in this sector has had a direct impact on millions of poor people. Under his leadership, poverty has declined from 58 to 42 percent in five years. Through his direct involvement in turning Malawi's future around, he is building new confidence and hope amongst the citizens of Africa in their governments.”

• 2009 Medal of Glory Awards – “President Mutharika was chosen for the award because of his bold reforms that have resulted in the Malawi green revolution, and Malawi's increase in its economic growth rate form less that 1 percent in 2003, before he took office to more than 9.7 percent in 2008, at the end of his first term office”

• The Most Excellent Grand Commander (MEGC) – Top most award of Malawi order of National Achievement conferred by the Malawi Civilian Honours and Decorations, 6 July 2009

• Inaugural Food Agriculture and Natural resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) Food Security Policy Leadership Award (2008), “for his agricultural policy interventions which have transformed Malawi form a food deficit nation to a net maize exporter”

• FAO's Agricola Medal (2008) in honour of “his substantial contribution towards transforming the country's economy form a state of food deficit nation to a net exporter of maize”

• Louise Blouin Foundation Award for Exceptional Creative Achievement (2008) for making a positive impact on a global scale

• Danish Government Award of recognition for outstanding performances in promoting gender equality and women empowerment (2008).

Mutharika has received several honorary degrees including Professor of Economics by East China Normal University, in April 2010; Doctor of Letters (D.Litt) Degree Honoris Causa by the University of Delhi in October, 2010; Doctor of Law (PhD Degree (Honoris Causa), Mzuzu University, in 2008 and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Degree (Honoris Causa), University of Strathclyde, Scotland in 2005.

He is the founder and chairman of the Bineth Trust – a nonprofit organization promoting education; Founder of the Silvergrey International; and founder and Chairman of the Bingu Silvergrey Foundation of the elderly and retired persons. He is also the founder of the Malawi University of Science and Technology, the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of Cotton Research at Bangula; the University of Marine biology; the University of Mombera and the University of Nkhotakota. o

External links

• Video: Address by President Bingu Wa Mutharika at the General Debate of the 65th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, 23 September 2010.