Political analyst Blessings Chisinga put it smartly in The Daily Times, Wednesday, 13^th May 2009, five days to the day Malawians will go to the polls to elect a President and Members of Parliament.

Chisinga said JZU Tembo has vast experience in running various government entities like ministries, the central bank and statutory corporations, and all that remains for Tembo was the presidency, not the running of government.

“Tembo’s track record shows he is the most experienced politician of all presidential candidates participating in this year’s polls,” said Chisinga.

Chisinga’s observations came barely a day after President Bingu wa Mutharika publicly admitted in Lilongwe that his only stumbling block in next Tuesday’s polls was the MCP/UDF Alliance Presidential candidate JZU Tembo whose experience in running government dates back to Ngwazi Dr H.  Kamuzu Banda’s first cabinet in 1964.

After admitting that JZU Tembo was a force to reckon with Mutharika contradicted himself by describing the MCP/UDF Alliance Presidential candidate a failed politician who has achieved nothing since he joined parliament in 1961.

“If we are to take Bingu’s words seriously that JZU Tembo is failed politician, the question is … how come Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda entrusted him with important and crucial responsibilities like appointments of first Malawian Minister of Finance, Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi and chairman of various companies and corporations in Malawi?” observed one economist in Lilongwe.

He said JZU Tembo assumed the position of Finance Minister at a time Malawi had just attained independence and was behind the implementation of all development programmes Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda introduced under his ‘Gweru Plans’.

“Tembo laid a sound economic foundation stone under the guidance of Ngwazi Dr H. Kamuzu Banda, and all these people like Mutharika and his running mate Joyce Banda know this very well, but can not accept reality because they are power hungry,” he said.

Many political analysts have noted that during the campaign Mutharika has wasted time castigating his opponent JZU Tembo instead of sticking to his party manifesto.

“Actually Tembo has shown political maturity throughout the campaign period by remained well focused and willing to forget the past and concentrate on the future.

“Nobody expected to pick Brown Mpinganjira as running mate and he did, nobody thought one day he would stand on the same platform with Bakili Muluzi and he has done exactly that, and yet on the other hand Mutharika has been busy sowing seeds of hatred all over the country,” observed one veteran Blantyre journalist.

He said political leaders must be sensitive when addressing stages Malawi, like other African countries, has gone through, namely … struggle for independence, one-party rule and multiparty democracy.

“In the last five years Mutharika has ruled this country as a dictator, arresting opponents merely on suspicion, challenging decisions agreed in Parliament firing professionals who refused to follow his party line.

 “I have in mind the way he treated Vice President Cassim Chilumpha, refusal to call for Parliament meetings and going ahead with programmes without National Assembly’s approval, firing of Oliver Kumbambe as Inspector General of Police, arresting of senior army officers and retired police officers, distribution of farm inputs to a few selected relatives, chiefs and DPP members,” he said.

BY NAFE NGELEZI