Bingu wa Mutharika

His Excellency Bingu wa Mutharika
Mutharika in 2009
3rd President of Malawi
In office 24 May 2004 – 5 April 2012
Vice President	Cassim Chilumpha Joyce Banda
Preceded by	Bakili Muluzi
Succeeded by	Joyce Banda
8th Chairperson of the African Union
In office 31 January 2010 – 31 January 2011
Preceded by	Muammar Gaddafi
Succeeded by	Teodoro Obiang Nguema
Personal details
Born	Brightson Webster Ryson Thom (1934-02-24)24 February 1934 Thyolo, Nyasaland
Died	5 April 2012(2012-04-05) (aged 78) Lilongwe, Malawi
Nationality	Malawian
Political party	DPP (2005–2012)
Other political affiliations	UDF (1986–2005)
Spouses	Ethel Mutharika ​ ​ (m. 1984; died 2007)​ Callista Chimombo ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	4
Relatives	Peter Mutharika (brother)
Alma mater	University of Delhi California Miramar University
Profession	Economist

Bingu wa Mutharika (/muˈtærɪkə/; born Brightson Webster Ryson Thom; 24 February 1934 – 5 April 2012) was a Malawian politician and economist who was President of Malawi from May 2004 until his death in April 2012. He was also President of the Democratic Progressive Party, which he founded in February 2005; it obtained a majority in Malawi's parliament in the 2009 general election.

During his two terms in office, he was noted for being the Chairperson of the African Union in 2010–2011, as well as for several domestic controversies. In 2009, he purchased a private presidential jet for $13.26 million. This was followed almost immediately by a nationwide fuel shortage, which was officially blamed on logistical problems but was more likely due to the hard currency shortage caused by the freezing of aid by the international community.^[1] He died in office from a cardiac arrest on 5 April 2012, at age 78.