May 14, 1898 - Hastings Banda

Hastings Kamuzu Banda (c. 1898 or 1906 – 25 November 1997) was a Malawian politician who served as the leader of Malawi from 1964 to 1994.

After receiving much of his education in ethnography, linguistics, history, and medicine overseas, Banda returned to Nyasaland to speak against colonialism and advocate for independence from the United Kingdom. He was formally appointed Prime Minister of Nyasaland and led the country to independence in 1964. Two years later, he proclaimed Malawi a republic with himself as the first president. He consolidated power and later declared Malawi a one-party state under the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). In 1970, the MCP made Banda the party's president for life.

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