Malawi’s President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera, along with hundreds of Malawians, paid their last respects to the late John Zenus Ungapange Tembo, former President of the Malawi Congress Party (MCP). The ceremony took place at the party’s Headquarters in Lilongwe yesterday.
Tembo passed away at a private clinic in Lilongwe last Tuesday at the age of 91. The ceremony commenced with prayers led by the Nkhoma Synod, after which President Chakwera and numerous party members paid their final respects to the former MCP President, who dedicated over a decade of service to the party.
Delivering a sermon at the ceremony, Rev Dr. Davidson Chifungo urged Malawians to commemorate the life of the late Dr. John Tembo for his substantial contributions to the country’s development.
“Dr Tembo was a man with focus and faith as he could not be easily shaken but worked hard to achieve greater things for the party as well as the nation,” said Dr Chifungo.
On his part, Chakwera said the late JZU Tembo will always be fondly remembered as among the revolutionary crop of nationalists that led Malawi’s independence struggle from the late 1950s to 1964.
One of the family members, Morgan Tembo, expressed that they will always remember JZU for his diligent efforts in establishing various enterprises like Raiply (formerly VIPLY), Press Corporation, the Tobacco Commission, and the construction of Chancellor College in Zomba, among other accomplishments.
Notable individuals in attendance at the ceremony included Vice President Dr. Saulos Chilima, former President Dr. Joyce Banda, former Vice President Khumbo Hastings Kachali, Speaker of the National Assembly Catherine Gotani Hara, and Secretary to the President and Cabinet Collen Zamba.
The late Tembo will be laid to rest at his residence in Traditional Authority (TA) Kaphuka in Dedza on Wednesday.
