Joana Ntaja

Joana Ntaja
Her Worship
Mayor of Zomba City Council
Succeeded byMelia Likoswe Douglas
Councillor, Zomba Central Ward
Personal details
Born
Juliana Kaduya

(1984-02-25)25 February 1984
Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital ,Blantyre,Malawi
Died8 March 2015(2015-03-08) (aged 31)
Political partyMalawi Congress Party (MCP)
Children3
Alma materLilongwe Technical College

Joana Ntaja ( 25 February 1984 - 8 March 2015) was a Malawian politician and the first female mayor of Zomba, Malawi's oldest city, between July 2014 and March 2015. She was affiliated to the Democratic Progress Party.

Background and education

Ntaja was born to Cathyreen Chimgoga Chakhaza at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) in Blantyre, Malawi.[1] According to an interview she granted shortly after being elected mayor, she attended a number of primary schools such as "St. Pius, St Anthony, Zomba Police and completed at Balaka Primary School".[1] She later attended Balaka and St. Marys Secondary Schools. She then did an intermediate secretarial level course at Michiru Secretarial College. From there, she attended Lilongwe Technical College and received an Advanced Diploma in Business Management.[1][2]

Career

Affiliated to the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Ntaja served as a Councillor for Zomba Central Ward on the Zomba City Council.

On 14 July 2014, Ntaja was elected as the sixth mayor of Zomba City Council and the first female in that position.[1][3]

Personal life and death

Having complained of malaria and stomach complications, Ntaja was announced dead on 8 March 2015 at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre.[2][4] She was survived by her husband, Rashid Mussa and three children[2][1]

Ntaja was buried at Mteje Village in Chigumula[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Big Interview: Joan Ntaja, new mayor for Zomba City". The Nation Online. 2014-07-27. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  2. ^ a b c "Joana Ntaja, Mayor of Zomba, dies at age of 30 - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi". www.nyasatimes.com. 2015-03-08. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  3. ^ "Woman Mayor elected in Zomba: DPP's Joanna Ntaja, UDF's Maunde deputy - Malawi Nyasa Times - News from Malawi about Malawi". www.nyasatimes.com. 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  4. ^ Nekinga, Roche Bobegoto (2015-03-27). "Mrs. Joana Ntaja is no more". UCLGA. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  5. ^ Nthala, Paul (9 March 2015). "Zomba City Mayor, Joana Ntaja to Be Buried On Monday". allafrica. Retrieved 10 March 2022.