Callista Chimombo
Encyclopedia
Callista Chapola-Chimombo (Callista Mutharika) is a Malawi
an politician and the wife of President Bingu wa Mutharika
. She serves as the first lady of the Republic of Malawi. She is a current member of the Cabinet of Malawi
as a National Coordinator of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis. She has also previously served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament
, and as the Malawi Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture. As of 2005, she was Secretary of the Malawi Women’s Caucus. Chimombo is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party
and a former member of the United Democratic Front
(UDF).
.
She served as a member of Parliament for the district of Zomba. She also was a member of the Pan-African Parliament
and was Minister of Tourism and Culture in Malawi.She became First Lady of Malawi after marrying Bingu wa Mutharika
.
(who had not publicly expressed an interest to run as President) was not qualified to run as president. She stated that Banda's supporters were tantalizing themselves by drawing parallels with Liberian first female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Some analysts have suggested that she may bid to run for Presidency in 2014.
appointed her as African Union Goodwill Ambassador for Safe motherhood, replacing Vice President Joyce Banda
.. The concept of a National Coordinator for safe Motherhood in Malawi was drawn from that of the national Goodwill Ambassador for Safe Motherhood initiated by the Africa Union Conference of Ministers of Health in 2005. She is also in charge of the Safe Motherhood Foundation. The First Lady's Foundation seeks to promote the advancement of women and vulnerable populations in all sectors of our rapidly changing and developing society.
and Banda's name has been omitted from the official Malawi cabinet
list. She has also been appointed to the Malawi Cabinet
as of September 8th, 2011 as the National Coordinator of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis. Her work, including charity work has been considered as a salaried position by the Mutharika administration and she a monthly sum of over $7,000 for doing charity work as a coordinator of safe motherhood.. On September8th, 2011, an online newspaper, Maravi post and the Nyasatimes Newspapers reported that Callista Mutharika had been either accidentally or purposefully listed as Vice President of Malawi on the official Malawi government website and included screenshots. This information was corrected on the government site. The Mutharika administration though has denied that she is the nation's Vice President.
Malawi
The Republic of Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the northwest, Tanzania to the northeast, and Mozambique on the east, south and west. The country is separated from Tanzania and Mozambique by Lake Malawi. Its size...
an politician and the wife of President Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
. She serves as the first lady of the Republic of Malawi. She is a current member of the Cabinet of Malawi
Cabinet of Malawi
The Cabinet of Malawi is the executive branch of the government, made up of the President, Vice-President and Ministers and Deputy Ministers responsible for the different departments.The current ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party...
as a National Coordinator of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis. She has also previously served as a member of the Pan-African Parliament
Pan-African Parliament
The Pan-African Parliament , also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years...
, and as the Malawi Minister of Tourism, Wildlife and Culture. As of 2005, she was Secretary of the Malawi Women’s Caucus. Chimombo is a member of the Democratic Progressive Party
Democratic Progressive Party (Malawi)
The Democratic Progressive Party is the ruling political party in Malawi. The party was formed in February 2005 by Malawian President Bingu wa Mutharika after a dispute with the United Democratic Front....
and a former member of the United Democratic Front
United Democratic Front (Malawi)
The United Democratic Front claims to be a liberal party in Malawi and is mainly strong in the southern region populated by ethnic Yao. Until 2009 the party was a member of Liberal International, which it joined at the latter's Reykjavík Congress in 1994...
(UDF).
Personal
In January 2010, following a period of intense speculation, it was announced that Chimombo and President Mutharika were engaged to be married and would marry on 1 May 2010. They got engaged on Valentines Day 2010 in a traditional ceremony that was broadcast on the news. At one point, Mutharika and Callista displayed their joy by taking it to the dance floor where his children, family members and guests spent almost 20 minutes dancing to an interlude of music that turned the whole event into a frenzy of excitement and jubilation. They were married in a Roman Catholic ChurchRoman Catholicism in Malawi
The Roman Catholic Church in Malawi is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope and curia in Rome.There are over 2 million Catholics in Malawi - around a fifth of the total population...
.
Political Career
As of 2005, she was Secretary of the Malawi Women’s Caucus.She served as a member of Parliament for the district of Zomba. She also was a member of the Pan-African Parliament
Pan-African Parliament
The Pan-African Parliament , also known as the African Parliament, is the legislative body of the African Union and held its inaugural session in March 2004. The PAP exercises oversight, and has advisory and consultative powers, lasting for the first five years...
and was Minister of Tourism and Culture in Malawi.She became First Lady of Malawi after marrying Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
.
First Lady of Malawi
After her marriage to Bingu Wa Muthrika , she now holds the post as first lady of Malawi. Mutharika has become a politically vocal first lady. She publically weighed in on the decision by the DPP to fire the first and second vice-president by stating that Joyce BandaJoyce Banda
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian educator, grassroots gender rights activist turned politician who has been Vice-President of Malawi since May 2009. She is Malawi's first female vice president. She had previous posts as a Member of Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for...
(who had not publicly expressed an interest to run as President) was not qualified to run as president. She stated that Banda's supporters were tantalizing themselves by drawing parallels with Liberian first female President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Some analysts have suggested that she may bid to run for Presidency in 2014.
Safe Motherhood Role
In August 2010, resident Bingu wa MutharikaBingu wa Mutharika
Bingu wa Mutharika is a Malawi economist who is President of Malawi. He took office on 24 May 2004 after winning a disputed presidential election...
appointed her as African Union Goodwill Ambassador for Safe motherhood, replacing Vice President Joyce Banda
Joyce Banda
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian educator, grassroots gender rights activist turned politician who has been Vice-President of Malawi since May 2009. She is Malawi's first female vice president. She had previous posts as a Member of Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for...
.. The concept of a National Coordinator for safe Motherhood in Malawi was drawn from that of the national Goodwill Ambassador for Safe Motherhood initiated by the Africa Union Conference of Ministers of Health in 2005. She is also in charge of the Safe Motherhood Foundation. The First Lady's Foundation seeks to promote the advancement of women and vulnerable populations in all sectors of our rapidly changing and developing society.
Malaria Program
Mutharika, is also now in charge of the country's Malaria program..This was made an official cabinet role on Sepetember 8th , 2011.Official Duties and Cabinet Role
Since coming in to power, the First Lady has increasingly been given the roles of the official Vice-President, Joyce BandaJoyce Banda
Joyce Hilda Banda is a Malawian educator, grassroots gender rights activist turned politician who has been Vice-President of Malawi since May 2009. She is Malawi's first female vice president. She had previous posts as a Member of Parliament, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for...
and Banda's name has been omitted from the official Malawi cabinet
Cabinet of Malawi
The Cabinet of Malawi is the executive branch of the government, made up of the President, Vice-President and Ministers and Deputy Ministers responsible for the different departments.The current ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party...
list. She has also been appointed to the Malawi Cabinet
Cabinet of Malawi
The Cabinet of Malawi is the executive branch of the government, made up of the President, Vice-President and Ministers and Deputy Ministers responsible for the different departments.The current ruling party is the Democratic Progressive Party...
as of September 8th, 2011 as the National Coordinator of Maternal, Infant and Child Health and HIV/Nutrition/Malaria and Tuberculosis. Her work, including charity work has been considered as a salaried position by the Mutharika administration and she a monthly sum of over $7,000 for doing charity work as a coordinator of safe motherhood.. On September8th, 2011, an online newspaper, Maravi post and the Nyasatimes Newspapers reported that Callista Mutharika had been either accidentally or purposefully listed as Vice President of Malawi on the official Malawi government website and included screenshots. This information was corrected on the government site. The Mutharika administration though has denied that she is the nation's Vice President.