As confidante to the President, Tembo was used as Dr. Banda's Machiavellian bludgeon during the later part of Dr. Banda's 30-year tyrannical rule. Tembo came to personify the negatives that Dr. Banda did. The greater majority in Malawi came to hate John Tembo for the excesses that ideally should have been aimed at Dr. Banda. While most people became resigned to the 'life presidency' issue (wait until the old man departs), a determination, especially after the Mwanza Assassination, emerged that Tembo would 'never rule' Malawi. Yet, in a move demonstrating Banda embraced 'democracy' much earlier than portrayed, Banda released John Tembo from his duties as Governor of the Reserve Bank and sent him on a two-year sabbatical to the US Congress to study the workings of democracy. When John Tembo returned in 1989, Banda appointed him as Minister without Portfolio much to the furore and greater agitation for multiparty democracy.