Source: NewsDay
It may well be termed A Tale of Two Joyces, or Joices, if you choose to, two individuals same name, same gender, same generation and almost similar stumbling blocks.
Last week, one of them landed her countrys top job, becoming the second African woman to land the presidency.
Next door to her, another Joice is hovering around the presidential seat, eyeing the baton stick, albeit coming from a political party allergic to succession debate and where equally strong aspirants also look poised to ascend to power, probably ahead of her.
Welcome to the two worlds of Malawian President Joyce Banda and Zimbabwean Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
Their lots are triumphs against adversity in a continent traditionally ruled by males with women playing second fiddle.
The Malawian leader has come a long way, fighting for women and childrens rights in a struggle that has seen thousands of her impoverished fellow citizens managing to put food on the table and get decent education.
Born in 1950, Banda dumped an allegedly abusive husband in 1981 and went on to found the Joyce Banda Foundation under which her ambitious vision flourished.
The charity organisation has projects in more than 200 villages in the poor southern African country.
Some of them include orphan care centre that consists of six centres and benefits over 600 children.
The foundation further provides seeds to over 10 000 farmers and built four clinics in desperate villages where healthcare was a nightmare.
On the business front, Banda founded the National Association of Business Women in Malawi in 1990 an initiative aimed at empowering a gender that had been marginalised for generations in her country.
It grew phenomenally to become a network of some 30 000 women who support each other in activities like business and technical training, record keeping and skills management.
Such contributions endeared her to the rural population and paved her way to a successful journey in politics.
In 1999, she won a parliamentary seat for Zomba-Malosa constituency and went on to assume Gender and Foreign Affairs ministerial positions before her appointment as Vice-President by the late Bingu waMutharika in 2009.
A firm believer in her principles, Banda fell out with waMutharika after objecting to the Presidents strategy of positioning his younger brother Peter waMutharika to take over from him in 2014.
She boldly went on to form her own political party, the Peoples Party, last year, but remained Vice-President and ultimately took over the reins of power following waMutharikas death over a week ago, as per Malawis constitution.
In neighbouring Zimbabwe, Joice Mujuru has travelled her own tedious road to be the countrys Vice-President.
Born in 1955, her struggle for her people dates back to 1973 when she joined the liberation struggle.
The following year, at a tender age of 18, she gunned down a helicopter as her male colleagues reportedly scurried for cover.
Mujuru went on to get married to liberation war Commander Solomon Mujuru, who later became independent Zimbabwes first army general.
She has been in President Robert Mugabes Cabinet since independence, holding various portfolios.
Backed by her late husband, who was generally perceived to be kingmaker in Zanu PFs intricate dynamics, Mujuru rose to vice-presidency in 2005, placing her one foot away from the countrys ultimate post.
However, landing the Presidency is unlikely to be a stroll in the park for her.
Equally eager to succeed 88-year-old Mugabe is said to be Emmerson Mnangagwa, a shrewd and silent schemer, who is no small politician either.
Practically speaking, the two are Zanu PFs front runners to take over from President Robert Mugabe.
Other names have been thrown around like army general Constantine Chiwenga, State Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi and many other dark horses.
But if the truth is to be told, Mujuru and Mnangagwa remain Zanu PFs trump cards.
However, should Mujuru go past that hurdle and win leadership of her party, she faces another defining moment as she would likely face MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the battle for Zimbabwes top job.
Here is one aspirant, who defeated President Mugabe in the 2008 election, only to be stopped from occupying State House due to a Constitution demanding a re-run in the event none of the candidates pulled an outright win.
But much as it may not be easy for Mujuru to rise all the way, she remains a big contender to do so and join her namesake and Liberian leader Sirleaf Johnson in the emerging elite African female presidential club.
It may well be termed A Tale of Two Joyces, or Joices, if you choose to, two individuals same name, same gender, same generation and almost similar stumbling blocks.
Last week, one of them landed her countrys top job, becoming the second African woman to land the presidency.
Next door to her, another Joice is hovering around the presidential seat, eyeing the baton stick, albeit coming from a political party allergic to succession debate and where equally strong aspirants also look poised to ascend to power, probably ahead of her.
Welcome to the two worlds of Malawian President Joyce Banda and Zimbabwean Vice-President Joice Mujuru.
Their lots are triumphs against adversity in a continent traditionally ruled by males with women playing second fiddle.
The Malawian leader has come a long way, fighting for women and childrens rights in a struggle that has seen thousands of her impoverished fellow citizens managing to put food on the table and get decent education.
Born in 1950, Banda dumped an allegedly abusive husband in 1981 and went on to found the Joyce Banda Foundation under which her ambitious vision flourished.
The charity organisation has projects in more than 200 villages in the poor southern African country.
Some of them include orphan care centre that consists of six centres and benefits over 600 children.
The foundation further provides seeds to over 10 000 farmers and built four clinics in desperate villages where healthcare was a nightmare.
On the business front, Banda founded the National Association of Business Women in Malawi in 1990 an initiative aimed at empowering a gender that had been marginalised for generations in her country.
It grew phenomenally to become a network of some 30 000 women who support each other in activities like business and technical training, record keeping and skills management.
Such contributions endeared her to the rural population and paved her way to a successful journey in politics.
In 1999, she won a parliamentary seat for Zomba-Malosa constituency and went on to assume Gender and Foreign Affairs ministerial positions before her appointment as Vice-President by the late Bingu waMutharika in 2009.
A firm believer in her principles, Banda fell out with waMutharika after objecting to the Presidents strategy of positioning his younger brother Peter waMutharika to take over from him in 2014.
She boldly went on to form her own political party, the Peoples Party, last year, but remained Vice-President and ultimately took over the reins of power following waMutharikas death over a week ago, as per Malawis constitution.
In neighbouring Zimbabwe, Joice Mujuru has travelled her own tedious road to be the countrys Vice-President.
Born in 1955, her struggle for her people dates back to 1973 when she joined the liberation struggle.
The following year, at a tender age of 18, she gunned down a helicopter as her male colleagues reportedly scurried for cover.
Mujuru went on to get married to liberation war Commander Solomon Mujuru, who later became independent Zimbabwes first army general.
She has been in President Robert Mugabes Cabinet since independence, holding various portfolios.
Backed by her late husband, who was generally perceived to be kingmaker in Zanu PFs intricate dynamics, Mujuru rose to vice-presidency in 2005, placing her one foot away from the countrys ultimate post.
However, landing the Presidency is unlikely to be a stroll in the park for her.
Equally eager to succeed 88-year-old Mugabe is said to be Emmerson Mnangagwa, a shrewd and silent schemer, who is no small politician either.
Practically speaking, the two are Zanu PFs front runners to take over from President Robert Mugabe.
Other names have been thrown around like army general Constantine Chiwenga, State Security minister Sydney Sekeramayi and many other dark horses.
But if the truth is to be told, Mujuru and Mnangagwa remain Zanu PFs trump cards.
However, should Mujuru go past that hurdle and win leadership of her party, she faces another defining moment as she would likely face MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai in the battle for Zimbabwes top job.
Here is one aspirant, who defeated President Mugabe in the 2008 election, only to be stopped from occupying State House due to a Constitution demanding a re-run in the event none of the candidates pulled an outright win.
But much as it may not be easy for Mujuru to rise all the way, she remains a big contender to do so and join her namesake and Liberian leader Sirleaf Johnson in the emerging elite African female presidential club.