Malawi has appointed its first female speaker of parliament, legislator Catherine Gotani Hara.

Gotani, from Mzimba North East and a member of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), amassed 97 votes to beat Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) nominee Esther Mcheka-Chilenje who got 93 votes, Malawi 24 reported.

The legislator holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree from Chancellor College and a Postgraduate Degree in International Development, Project Planning and Management from the University of Brighton in the UK.

She previously served as health minister and minister of natural resources in the Joyce Banda administration.

Following last month’s presidential elections she returned to the House after serving as an MP for Mzimba North East from 2009 to 2014.