Profile of JZU Tembo - Presidential Candidate for MCP/ UDF Alliance 2009
May 13th, 2009The name John Zenus Ungapake Tembo is not new in the political history of Malawi. To many Malawians the mere mention of his initials … JZU is enough to know that the person being referred to is none other than the President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP), Right Hon JZU Tembo who in the last five years successfully served as Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
Because of his experience and maturity, in particular, the long period he worked under the leadership of the Father and Founder of the Malawi Nation, Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda, and recently the manner in which he conducted business as Leader of Opposition in Parliament during President Bingu wa Mutharika’s Democratic Progress Party (DPP) five-year term of office, JZU Tembo was unanimously endorsed by the MCP and other key opposition parties in all the three regions to face DPP’s Mutharika in the 19th May 2009 General Elections as their Presidential candidate.
JZU Tembo goes to the polls with the full support of the United Democratic Front (UDF) under the MCP/UDF Alliance which national chairman of UDF, former President Bakili Muluzi has given blessings in order to strengthen the opposition’s winning formula against Bingu wa Mutharika Mutharika.
Son of Zenus Ungapake Tembo (Minister of the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian – CCAP), JZU Tembo was born on 14th September, 1932 in his home district of Dedza. He attended several primary schools within mission stations where his father pastored before going to Blantyre Secondary School (BSS), later proceeded to the University of Roma in Lesotho where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Philosophy.
JZU Tembo taught at Dedza and Robert Blake Secondary School for some years before entering active politics as Member of the Nyasaland Legislative Assembly in (1961) representing Dedza South. When Malawi attained independence from the British Government JZU Tembo became first Malawian Minister of Finance, succeeding expatriate Henry Phillips. He also served as Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) at a time Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda initiated many development programmes throughout Malawi.
Among many attributes to JZU Tembo, Malawians respect him for the spirit of hard work demonstrated during the years he served under Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda’s MCP government in various portfolios. It has always been appreciated the fact that JZU Tembo remained loyal to the Father and Founder of the Malawi Nation even when other ministers disagreed with Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda on policy issues and left within two months of the country’s independence in 1964. JZU Tembo was the only minister from the 1964 cabinet who worked with Ngwazi right to the time of his death in 1997.
Since the introduction of multiparty democracy in 1994, central region has been classified as MCP and JZU Tembo’s stronghold because that is where traditionally people gave the mighty political party more votes, while as the south and north remained UDF and Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) territories respectively. However, the trend has now changed. Various surveys and opinion polls conducted recently reveal that JZU Tembo’s popularity is countrywide and that he will beat the incumbent president in all the three regions. His rallies and whistle-stops in the south, centre and north bear testimony to that fact.
May 15th, 2009 at 12:43 am
This man has all the experience needed to rule this country. After the mess brought by Bingu, he is the only person left to bring the country back from this path of doom. The problem with Bingu is that he lost touch with events in this country because he has not been around. For a very long time, Bingu was in a foreign land and this is the reaso why he lost touch with issues in the country.Iam glad that after fifteen years,time has now come for the rightfull rulers to take charge. Viva JZU, Viva MCP/UDF Coalition. We will definetely usher you into power on the 19th. PLEASE HON.TEMBO,REMEMBER TO CONSTRUCT THE ZOMBA-LIMBE ROAD.This road is a nightmare to users.
May 16th, 2009 at 3:40 am
For sure JZU is the man that we have been looking for. Bingu may have his way of thinking but it is high he had to call it quits. He may not be excused becoz of being outside the country. The man is stoogy, he could not give credit to Hon Tembo for his proposal of the universal subsidy and it was Hon tembo who stuck his guns that if subsidy programme is not included in the budget, then we should forget the whole thing (2004). In october, 2004 Bingu was addressing a rally in Mangochi where he refused that no subsidy of any kind. Only to change tune when he was told by our very Hon Tembo that no subsidy no budget. I have all the reasons that MCP under the tutelage of Hon Tembo is going to make it. Bravo MCP, MCP koodooo!!!
May 17th, 2009 at 3:57 am
I am a product of CHICHIRI sec. school( 89-94) then SOUTH AFRICA WITS UNIVERSITY and POLY of bingu’s days. i really appreciate the sound economic policies by RT. HON JZU during my sec, school days NOT the huge for EXTRAVAGANCE BUDGET OF BINGU AND GONDWE. I know they have messed -up because both are COMMERCE BOYS NOT ECONOMISTS.
I am now a grown -up businessman using the secondary school ideas most than what college can offer today . I consider myself lucky coz most DEGREES nowadays are just mere papers , peoples heads are empty .
RT. HON my family prays everyday that our kids should enjoy the kind of EDUCATION standards my wife and I enjoyed during the M.C.P. era.this will be done on 19 may this year at 10.30am you will poll 3,128,376 according to my snap survey variables with a 0.25% margin of error across the board the whole country.
DON’T WORRY ABOUT(THE PAPER TIGER) HE HAS FAILED US COMPLETELY WITH HIS KNOW-IT ALL STYLE OF LEADERSHIP.
ALL THE BEST FROM MY FAMILY