Veteran Malawi politician John Tembo dies aged 91

John Tembo, a dominant figure in Malawian politics for more than four decades, has died in hospital in the capital, Lilongwe, at the age of 91, his family says.

He became an MP aged 27 in 1960 in the run-up to the country’s independence from the UK.

He went on to be regarded as former President Hastings Banda’s right-hand man and Mr Tembo’s niece, Cecelia Kadzamira, was hired as the government’s official hostess in lieu of a first lady.

John Zenus Ungapake Tembo was Malawi’s first finance minister after independence in 1964 and went on to serve in various other cabinet roles during his career.

He also had a stint as head of the central bank and was regarded the most influential member of government during Dr Banda’s 30-year rule.

Popularly known by his initials JZU, his most prominent role was being part of a three-member presidential council that ruled Malawi between 15 October and 8 December 1993, when the then-ageing Dr Banda underwent brain surgery and was deemed incapacitated.

Following a referendum in June 1993, Malawi abandoned single party rule and in historic multiparty elections the following year, Dr Banda and his Malawi Congress Party (MCP) lost power.

This paved the way for Mr Tembo to emerge as a prominent opposition figure, heading the MCP. He contested and lost presidential elections in 2004 and 2009 – both times to Bingu wa Mutharika.

He stepped down as MCP leader in 2013, replaced by Lazarus Chakwera who went on to become president in 2020.