Joyce Banda Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ====Domestic policy==== [[File:Flag of Malawi.svg|thumb|right|200px|Malawi's flag was created in 1964 and readopted by MPs in 2012.]] [[File:Flag of Malawi (2010β2012).svg|thumb|right|200px|Malawi's unpopular 2010β2012 flag]] On 18 May 2012, Banda announced her intention to overturn Malawi's ban on homosexuality. The measure was reported to already have the support of a majority of MPs. If successful, it would make Malawi the second African nation to legalise same-sex sexual activity since 1994.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18118350 |title=Malawi to overturn homosexual ban, Joyce Banda says |date=18 May 2012 |work=BBC News |access-date=18 May 2012}}</ref> [[Amnesty International]] reported in early November 2012 that Malawi had "suspended" laws criminalising homosexuality pending a vote.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/06/world/africa/malawi-antigay-laws/index.html|agency=CNN|title=Amnesty: Malawi suspends anti-gay laws|date=6 November 2012|access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref> On the advice of the [[International Monetary Fund]], in May 2012 Banda devalued the [[Malawian kwacha]], something Mutharika had refused to do. The announcement of the kwacha's devaluation by 33 per cent against the United States dollar, an attempt to attract donor funding, prompted "panic-buying" in Malawian cities, the [[BBC News]] reported.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-17982062|agency=BBC News|title=Malawi devalues kwacha by 33%, leading to panic-buying|date=7 May 2012|access-date=17 January 2013}}</ref> Upon becoming President, Banda decided to sell her presidential jet and make a contribution of 30% of her salary to benefit the Malawi Council for the Handicapped.<ref name=":0" /> However, proceeds from the sale of the jet were not accounted for. An explanation given by Joyce Banda was that the jet had been sold to an arms company in South Africa with whom the Government of Malawi had an outstanding debt and so the jet was used to offset this debt. No paperwork or evidence was made available to back up that claim.<ref>{{cite web|author=Wanga Gwede |url=http://www.nyasatimes.com/2014/03/10/jb-mkwezalamba-differ-on-malawi-jetgate-who-is-fooling-who/ |title=JB, Mkwezalamba differ on Malawi jetgate: Who is fooling who? |publisher=Nyasa Times |date=10 March 2014 |access-date=6 March 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150227034401/http://www.nyasatimes.com/2014/03/10/jb-mkwezalamba-differ-on-malawi-jetgate-who-is-fooling-who/ |archive-date=27 February 2015 |df=dmy }}</ref> On 17 January 2013, thousands of Malawians protested in [[Blantyre]] against rising inflation after Banda, joined by IMF chief [[Christine Lagarde]], defended the devaluation of the kwacha and said she would not reverse the decision.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2013/01/06/jb-says-wont-reverse-malawi-kwacha-devaluation-imf-chief-defends-move/ |title=JB says won't reverse Malawi Kwacha devaluation |agency=Nyasa Times |date=6 January 2013 |access-date=17 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130111085601/http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2013/01/06/jb-says-wont-reverse-malawi-kwacha-devaluation-imf-chief-defends-move/ |archive-date=11 January 2013 |df=dmy }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-malawi-protests-idUKBRE90G0O120130117|work=Reuters|date=17 January 2013|access-date=17 January 2013|title=Malawi sees first major protest under President Banda}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page