Catherine Gotani Hara is a Malawian politician who has been the Speaker of the National Assembly since June 2019, the first woman to hold the position.
Catherine Gotani Hara | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Gotani Hara in 2019 | |
| Speaker of the National Assembly | |
| Assumed office 19 June 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Msowoya |
| Constituency | Mzimba North East |
| Personal details | |
| Political party | MCP |
Early life and education
editGotani Hara attended Kamuzu Academy,[1] and has a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Chancellor College at the University of Malawi.[2][3] While studying, she ran the university's wing of the Malawi Congress Party.[1] From 1998 to 2000, she completed professional postgraduate training in International Development and Project Planning and Management Brighton.[1][4][2][3][5]
Career
editGotani Hara was a Programme Officer for the UK's Department of International Development,[4] the first Malawian to be recruited to that level.[3] She was responsible for the sustainable livelihood projects for both Mozambique and Malawi.[3]
Gotani Hara was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mzimba North East[6] in 2009, representing the Democratic Progressive Party.[4]
Gotani Hara was the Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Infrastructure,[7] Deputy Minister for Gender,[5] and the Minister for Health in the Joyce Banda government.[2][8] She represented the Malawi Head of State at a number of international events, and was the Chair of the Malawi delegation to the Climate Change Summit in Brazil.[1] She is a board member of the Northern Region Water Board.[1] After the death of President Bingu wa Mutharika in 2012, she publicly declared that it unconstitutional for members in the ruling DPP politburo to take over the presidency.[9] She took a break from politics from 2014 to 2019.[9]
Gotani Hara was re-elected in May 2019 representing Malawi Congress Party and on 19 June 2019, she was elected the first female Speaker of the National Assembly,[3] with 97 votes to 93 over former deputy speaker Esther Mcheka Chilenje.[4][10]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Know your possible well-composed Malawi's female Speaker Catherine Gotani Hara". The Maravi Post. 18 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ a b c "Malawi parliament elects opposition MP as first female speaker: Catherine Gotani Hara". Povo News. 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "No Madando, No Tippex:Malawi legislators elect MCP's Gotani Hara first woman speaker of parliament". Nyasa Times. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ a b c d Alfa Shaban, Abdur Rahman (19 June 2019). "Malawi parliament picks first woman speaker: Catherine Gotani Hara". Africa News. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ a b Chimjeka, Rebecca; Chauluka, Jameson (20 June 2019). "Catherine Gotani-Hara Elected Speaker". The Times. Archived from the original on 17 November 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "Gwengwe Says Zero Deficit Budget Obvious: Some Of Us Saw This Coming". Malawi Voice. 31 May 2011. Archived from the original on 5 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ aulipa says (7 September 2011). "President Bingu Wa Mutharika names his new cabinet and appoints his wife as Minister in Malawi – Newstime Africa". Newstimeafrica.com. Retrieved 16 December 2011.
- ^ "Gotani says negligence led to bodies rot at KCH mortuary". Nyasa Times. 4 March 2014. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Malawi breaks record of having Female Speaker, Catherine Gotani Hara". The Maravi Post. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
- ^ "Malawi parliament elects first ever female speaker". The New Times. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.