Bushiri is innocent until proven guilty: But why always him?
South Africa-based leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering Church (ECGC) Prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife, Mary Bushiri, were arrested by the Hawks on Friday morning, February 1, at their hotel in Rustenburg, South Africa.
As a controversial figure, his arrest, as expected, has been received with polarized reactions.
You have his ‘spiritual sons and daughters’ and, also, his general fanatics who are deeply hurt with the arrest, arguing it’s a mark of persecution for it is written that ‘touch not the anointed ones’.
And you have people—especially Malawians of different divides—who just follow Bushiri arguing that the arrest is a normal legal process aimed at letting the wheels of justice roll on the couple, like anybody else.
It is certain, then, that our response to Bushiri’s arrest, as we always do with any public figures, depends on where you are sitting or standing.
However, there is an interesting perspective regarding Bushiri’s arrest being written by one of Malawi’s finest exports in film industry, Eugene Khumbanyiwa.
Khumbanyiwa takes a swipe at Bushiri’s spiritual children for interpreting the arrest from the ‘touch not the anointed’ perspective.
He ably, and rightly so, argues that Bushiri is going through a normal legal process meant to establish justice and let law takes it course.
Interestingly, he goes further to challenge the ‘xenophobia’ discourse in the arrest, arguing South Africa, from the days of Teba days to Gabadinho, has been welcoming and supportive to many Malawians of good reputation who have never been pounced by the Hawks.
What Khumbanyiwa advances raises deep questions regarding Bushiri. Why—unlike Malawians before him such as the Ernest Mtawalis, Eric Palianais who were always in the media—is Bushiri attracting the jaws of the Hawks? Why, again, is it that what happens to Bushiri breaks the internet, all the social media timelines filled with him?
Well, I have two theories to explain.
One, unlike most Malawians who made names in South Africa, Bushiri belongs to a different taste. He is, arguably, the only Malawian, so far, who does not just attracts millions in South Africa but, also, has a power to influence beyond his church.
In South Africa alone, his church, ECG, has over 700 000 registered members and about 300 followers. You are talking of 1 million people just in his church.
Added to this, he has 3.8 million followers on Facebook, of which, 2.1 million, are South Africans. When he is LIVE on Prophetic Channel, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, you have 40 000 million people, collectively, watching, of which, 67 percent are South Africans. Further, this is the gentleman that has, like a rock star, consistently filled Africa’s largest stadium, FNB Stadium, for three consecutive years attracting over 100 000 people.
These stats, arbitrary as they look, paints a picture of a quite a remarkable figure whose voice has a power to influence millions. Such a person, unlike any other successful Malawian in South Africa, can never be left alone without the watchful eye of the state agencies.
Never.
So its no longer just about his spiritual or economic success: Its now, fundamentally, about his independent power to mobilize and influence. That’s the heart of politics. Trust me, no state would leave such kind of a person alone.
Secondly, mostly in Malawi, I have heard arguments, mostly on social media, about people saying: ‘same fate falling on one person, few people come; but when it’s Bushiri, thousands come in.’
Well, it’s that simple.
The Bushiri’s controls social media in Malawi. He has about 3.8 million followers, just on Facebook, and out of those, about 650 000 are Malawians. His wife, Mary, has about 1 million followers on Facebook and, out of those, about 300 000 are Malawians.
Together, they have an average of 900 000 followers on Facebook. In fact, there is hardly a Malawian with such followership on social media.
To mean, any slight thing happening to them, you may have already about 500 000 people talking about it on their timeless either in defense or challenge. Nowhere, I mean nowhere, would one miss either to directly or indirectly hear or read about Bushiri.
NEVER!
So to the question: Why always Bushiri? The answer is simple. He has a stable financial capacity, he can mobilize thousands and he can speak and influence millions.
Malawi has never had such a figure in South Africa and, arguably, the State can never leave such a figure alone without surveillance. It’s such levels of surveillance that better explains his arrest.
But, of course, as Khumbanyiwa argued, he can afford best lawyers. That’s why we wish him well as the wheels of justices takes a toll on him.
NEVER!
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Fuck you Khumbanyiwa fuck you go to hell what did this man do just because he’s rich go and actor your porn movie idiot fuck you and your mother fucker stop being jealous with someone’s money jut coz your an actor who act porn move you have no money my friend you better stop that fucker your talking about If I will see you I will Kill you same time defending your stupid xenophobia government just to make the man of god to suffer idiots fuck you with your shot dick just stay with your HIV there fuck fuck fuck… Read more »
If you read in publications in South Africa, his wife went to buy a jet and paid cash. Bushiri lied that he got a loan from some Flight company and gave authorities fake receipts which the company declined to be theirs and also that they don’t service loans. In most of developed nations red flags are to be raised whenever someone makes substantial purchases using cash. Let him explain in court and he will be vindicated. He has said so many times he doesn’t make people pay for prayers yet so many people have deposited cash in his account. Even… Read more »
Whether you like it or not Living God will prove his innocent, above all we people of God we don’t need to diffend our self because we have diffender
the fact that you spelled diffender like that shows you don’t know what your talking about sit down and drink water
The warning is there in the Bible: Jesus said, “In the latter days days, false prophets shall come and preach in my name, beware of them”. John the baptist said when he saw Jesus Christ, “Behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of men”. When Jesus was being baptized, a voice came from heaven which said,”This is my beloved son with whom I am well pleased, listen to him”. It is disheartening to note that many people these days have faith in the false prophets. Some people even travel thousands of kilometres to look for false prophets!… Read more »
Wonderful perception
A thief is a thief, where rich, poor, famous or otherwise.
He cannot ably defend himself if his assets are ceased as the SA government is intending to do. Bushiri is a Malawi citizen. Malawi Government should move in to protect their own.
There no grounds for his assets to be frozen. The court will never grant that. He never acquired the assets through crime. South Africa has good laws with bad law enforcers. That’s why most the cases they go to a died end. To Bushiri is just being victimised. After his bail application this case will be thrown out court due to luck of evidence.
You don’t title a story with an antithesis i.e. an idea you intend to refute/dismiss huh
Such a man to be jailed without his country intervention its nonsense.
I am sorry to his people who would not defend him with lawyers and head of state .
How much they need
How long is he supposed to stay in
Even if you may write good about him, he is a false prophet. Hiring lawyers is a sign of panicking. He cheated people that his father is a prosperous man with farms in Malawi. Money will not always put situations under control. If he could walk in air can he fail to walk on this case.
Why are you judging if your are a good person stupid people who always think they are better than others SA government is a xenophobic government and some stupid Malawians are defending South African government just to arrest Who hasn’t committed any claim just because he’s rich how many people died in South Africa just to be a foreigner in that country those people I can not comment any good news about then coz their mind are not working properly wake up this man and his wife they didn’t do nothing wrong the problem is the government of Malawi with… Read more »
your level of idiocy surprises me very much, didn’t realize there were people who are actually this ignorant
Mr Khumbanyiwa is wrong, its not just Bushire. Many Malawian are being victimised to varying extents in South Africa simply for being foreign nationals. It is strange that someone can be remanded in custody for is essentially an alleged financial crime. In addition, why on a Friday? Was it to keep him in custody until Monday? SA courts do not work during the weekend. He has assets in SA more than the alleged R15 million. I ASK THE MALAWI GOVERNMENT TO PLEASE PROVIDE CONSULAR ASSISTANCE TO THE MAN. I am not his fan but let us call a spade and… Read more »