Right Hon Catherine Gotani Hara, MP was elected as the first female Speaker of the Malawi National Assembly in 2019.
Right Hon Hara’s political career traces back to her University years at Chancellor college, where she co-founded a student political wing. She has over 15 years of experience, having entered the political scene in 2009 when she was elected as the new Member of Parliament for Mzimba North East. She returned to Parliament in 2019, after which, she led the house through one of the most politically challenging times of the democratic era.
Rt Hon Hara is currently the Chairperson of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Africa Region a position she will hold until 2025.
She has served in the Cabinet as: Minister of Health, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Deputy Minister of Gender and Deputy Minister of Transport and Public Works.
She has also served as a member on the Northern Region Water Board, and was the Chair of the Malawi delegation to the Climate Change Summit in Brazil.
Prior to joining politics, she worked with the Department of International Development (DFiD) as a Programme Officer responsible for the sustainable livelihoods programme of Malawi and Mozambique projects. She was the first Malawian to rise to the position of Programme Officer with the DFiD.
A graduate of the meritous Kamuzu Academy Grammar School, Rt Hon Hara proceeded to study Political Science at the University of Malawi -Chancellor College where she earned a Bachelor’s Degree. Rt Hon Hara received her professional training in International Development and Project Planning in Brighton UK.