Name Aleke Banda | ||
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Died April 9, 2010, Johannesburg, South Africa | ||
Aleke Banda
Aleke Kadonaphani Banda (1939 – 9 April 2010) was a Malawian politician who served as a Member of Parliament, as Minister of Finance, and as Minister of Agriculture in Malawi. He was also co-founder of 'the Nation Publications Limited'. Banda’s life in politics (1953–2008) was devoted intensely to his country as it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964, as it established the political and economic structures of an independent state under Hastings Kamuzu Banda and as it created the framework of a multiparty democracy under Bakili Muluzi. Banda died from leukemia on 9 April 2010.
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Early life
Banda started school in Malawi (Nyasaland) in Tukombo in Nkhata Bay. He is believed to be the first cousin of Zambian politician and former President Rupiah Banda.
Career
He was the chairman of The Nation Publications Limited, Malawi’s influential private media house that publishes the newspapers The Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation on Sunday and FUKO. He invited controversial journalist Ken Lipenga to be a founder and editor in chief of the newspaper, The Nation. He was imprisoned under the Banda regime for no charge and this was contested by Amnesty International. In communication no. 63/92 Krishna Achuthan appealed to the Commission on behalf of his father-in-law, Aleke Banda. He had been imprisoned for 12 years without legal charge or trial. When Mr. Achuthan met with two successive heads of intelligence of Malawi they confirmed that there no case pending against Mr. Banda, but that he was being held "at the pleasure of the head of state."
Political career
He was Minister of Finance in 1997, and Minister of Agriculture from 1997 to 2005. He was also Minister of Health. He was also President of the People's Progressive Movement.
Aleke retired from active politics due to his ailment and was hospitalized in South Africa.