Prophet Bushiri disheartened with some Malawians linking him to vampirism: ‘Spare me your insults’

Prophet Shepherd Bushiri says he is shocked and disheartened with smear campaign on social media allegedly linking him to the bloodsucking myth in Malawi.

The Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) leader adds he could hardly believe that some Malawians, whom he call his brothers and sisters, could be so “heartless and devilish”  in fabricating such damaging and slanderous rumours.

Recently some online publications and other social media platforms have gone awash with allegations that Prophet Bushiri is the one behind the so-called blood sucking activities.

Propagators of these allegations have said since Bushiri is fond of donating alms to needy societies in the country, then he must be the one behind the alleged bloodsucking activities – saying its his payback.

In an interview with Nyasa Times, Prophet Bushiri’s communications director Ephraim Nyondo said it is disheartening and, at the same time, frightening to note that it is now a culture in Malawi to blame Prophet Bushiri for every misfortune or leadership failure in the country.

“Just look around. When there are accidents on our roads, all eyes are turned on Prophet Bushiri. When people drown in a boat, we say it is Bushiri. When famous people die in Malawi, Prophet Bushiri is blamed for their deaths. When some people are having marriage problems, Prophet Bushiri becomes the first to be blamed. What image are we, Malawians, trying to project out there of our man of God?” he wondered.

Nyondo added that it is suprising that some Malawians, today, are connecting the blood sucking activities to Prophet Bushiri when these stories have always been part of Malawi’s history. He further wondered if it is the same Prophet Bushiri behind the same scenario which are reported happening in some parts of Mozambique.

In 2002, further explained Nyondo, these stories were so rife and, just like today, the international media reported heavily on them after expatriates started to flee the country.

Not only that, he added.

As far back as 1970s, 1980s and 1990s stories of blood sucking have always been around and cases of pupils running away from classrooms fearing blood suckers were quite prevalent.

“One would, then, only wonder if in all these years it was Prophet Bushiri behind it as some Malawians want everybody to believe,” he said.

Nyondo didn’t mince words charging that the “blame Prophet Bushiri” jibe is just a strategy in panic by authorities to cover up their failure to contain the issue which, so far, has claimed nine innocent lives.

“We all remember how, when this issue broke out in the Lhomwe belt, government officials blamed it on the opposition Malawi Congress Party (MCP). We are seeing the blame on Prophet Bushiri through such lens because, we all know, the Bushiri has always been a burden bearer of most wrong and disasterous incidents in Malawi. Remember that recently a local chief in Chikwawa was sent, at a DPP rally, to disparage the Prophet as a Satanist as one way of discouraging his maize distribution programmes slated in the district. One can, therefore, not be entirely surprising with these allegations especially noting that the same activities are originating from the same region. But really, we are disturbed with this.” he further said.

Nyondo has called on the public to not just pray unceasingly for God’s guidance, but also to take their leaders to task on any emerging issue and not to allow the tendency of using innocent people, such as Prophet Bushiri, as a scapegoats.

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