Rwanda: Why Joyce Banda Lost Malawi's Presidency

On Sunday May 18, 2014 just two days before Malawians went to polls, the Malawi director of information asked me what I thought Joyce Banda's chances were to retain the presidency; after a few thoughtful seconds I answered that she would lose. A week later, my unfortunate prediction was confirmed, Joyce Banda had lost to her bitter rival Prof. Peter Mutharika.

In African politics, it's hard for incumbents to lose an election given all the state resources at their disposal. While bookmakers believed the eleven-horse race would give Banda hot competition very few expected her to lose after just over two years in power. She was expected to stay around a bit longer as the second woman to become president of an African country after Liberia's Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

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