‘Do I have signs of a snake?’ – Malawi pastor speaks out

Lilongwe’s Christ of Nations senior pastor Foster Mbale says he does not know the genesis of rumours on Saturday that he had turned into a snake.

Speaking in Area 49, Lilongwe where he was whisked away and took refugee after the fracas at his church in Area 25, Mbale wondered how some people cooked up the storty.

“Am I a snake, do I have signs of a snake? This is bad,” said Mbale.

He said rumours started circulating in the morning, saying he received an early morning call from one of his elders of the church who asked him if he knew of the rumours that he had turned into a snake.

“I was on a sitting room, watching Emmanuel TV whilst waiting for breakfast when I received the phone call and i said, me, turning into a snake?” he said.

He ruled out divisions in the pentecostal church that might have led disgruntled members cooking up such stories saying the church was solid and united.

Police have since arrested three people in connection with the fracas that left some people injured, the church burned and property damaged when the community around the church when on rampage demanding the elders of the church bring evidence that Mbale had not turned into a snake.

In retaliation, some church members started beating up the people and police had to be called in to disperse the people.

The law enforcers dispensed teargas to disperse the irate crowd. Calm returned afterwards and on Sunday the church was counting the cost of the damage.