Lilongwe, commonly perceived as the dusty city, hesitated to vomit its dust into the sky during the early hours of Wednesday.
It was as if, metaphorically, nature had sensed that tears would soon follow.
Later in the day, news no one likes to hear broke out: Veteran politician John Zenus Ungapake (JZU) Tembo had died at Lilongwe Private Clinic in Area 10.
President Lazarus Chakwera, who is attending to United Nations General Assembly (Unga) matters in New York, the United States, was among the first people to pay tribute to the former MCP leader, saying he would remember him not only as a political stalwart but also as a source of inspiration and a repository of knowledge.
Chakwera said, in a statement, that he was saddened by the passing of JZU Tembo, describing him as the pillar of Malawian politics.
“Rt Hon. Dr JZU Tembo had extensive experience as a Cabinet member, with his contribution to our country spanning six decades, including his role as [the] first Malawian Minister of Finance and governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi,” Chakwera said.
He said JZU, as he was fondly called by his supporters, served Malawians with dedication.
Tembo was one of Malawi’s longest-serving members of Parliament, working in that capacity from 1961 to 2014.
Chakwera said Tembo’s unwavering commitment to the governing Malawi Congress Party and his instrumental role in facilitating a democratic transfer of power within the party in 2014 will forever be remembered in the party’s national political history.
Chakwera took over the party’s presidency from Tembo in 2013.
Vice President Saulos Chilima, who is also UTM president, also paid tribute to Tembo.
“We are seized by grief and sadness and extend our sincere condolences to the family and friends for the painful loss. I join President Lazarus Chakwera and the entire MCP in mourning JZU Tembo,” Chilima said.
Also paying his tribute, former president Bakili Muluzi said he would remember Tembo as a great man who served his nation with dedication.
“I’m saddened by his demise because myself and JZU worked together. We once both served as [Cabinet] ministers. I will remember him as someone who served this country well in different ministries and departments,” Muluzi said.
On his part, former president Peter Mutharika said he would remember Tembo from back in the days, when he taught him and his brother, the late Bingu wa Mutharika, at Dedza Secondary School.
Democratic Progressive Party’s George Chaponda represented Mutharika at Lilongwe Private Clinic, where he said Mutharika is saddened by the passing of Tembo, whom he considered as friend and mentor.
Speaking on behalf of MCP, the party’s secretary general Eisenhower Mkaka said Tembo was a symbol of the fight against colonialism.
“He also served the nation in so many capacities. He served as a senior Cabinet minister; he served as Reserve Bank [of Malawi] Governor and chairman of so many parastatals. We have lost a giant in as far as Malawian politics is concerned and the MCP has lost a very important person,” Mkaka said.
Government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu has said a funeral programme would be announced once the family has decided on the issue.
“The funeral programme will be released in due course. We will have to work with the family and the church. The President is outside the country; he is mourning. We will release the programme once done with consultations with the family,” Kunkuyu said.
