JB receives Martin Luther King ‘Drum Major’ award
Malawi President Mrs Joyce Banda has received an award of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called the ”Drum Major for Freedom” from the National Press Club in Washington DC, United State for quality leadership and as fighter of freedom, at a ceremony organized by Whitaker Group.
President of the Whitaker Group, Rosa Whitaker applauded the Banda’s “common sense, sharp, charming, compassion and brilliance.”
She said Banda became President of Malawi unprepared and that she required support now from people in Washington and the whole USA, to lead Malawi government successfully.
Whitaker speaking at the National Press Club described President Banda as a very great and impressive woman, freedom fighter, brave and determined person.
Receiving the Award, President Banda thanked the organisers of the function.
She told members the National Press Club at the ceremony in a fully packed hall that she had assumed the position of leading the country, because of the confidence and trust Malawians have on her, reiterating that she was determined to serve them.
Banda said she was aware of the fact that the task of serving the highest office required total and holistic approach.
The President challenged that she would never feel intimidated as a woman in the course of leading Malawi.
On development, President Banda said she had initially adopted plans to organize farmers into cooperatives and ensure that the subsidy programme continues to be implemented in the country.
“My government is people centred,” President Banda said.
A champion of women’s rights, Banda became the first female head of state in southern Africa on April 7 after taking over as Malawi’s president following the death of Bingu wa Mutharika who died on April 5.
A winner of national and international awards for her work as a supporter of women’s rights, Banda was last year named by Forbes Magazine as Africa’s third most powerful female politician after Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Nigerian Minister of Finance Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
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