Prophet Bushiri joins President Mutharika at Malawi Investment Forum
South African based investor, preacher and philanthropist Shepherd Bushiri on Monday joined President Peter Mutharika in launching this year’s Malawi Investment Forum at Bingu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital city Lilongwe.
Malawi Investment Forum is a platform where the country sells its investment opportunities across the world – about 300 delegates are participating at this year’s two-day event.
Bushiri was given recognition as his Shepherd Bushiri Investments (Pty) Limited (SBI) has now operations in the country and is creating jobs.
SBI founder spotting a blue suit, was given a seat in the front row together with the President and sat next to ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) regional governor for the center, Bintony Kutsaila.
In his address, Minister of Industry, Trade and Tourism Henry Mussa recognized Bushiri and said his SBI is seeking partnerships with international investors in areas of mining, hospitality and sports academy.
Mussa said this year’s forum has attracted both domestic and foreign direct investment into selected strategic public and private sectors.
He said the investment forum are becoming a successful platform for Malawi, saying the country has made “notable gains” from hosting them.
And President Mutharika also recognized Bushiri in his address, parrying away claims that the famous prophet has strained relationship with the Malawi Government.
Bushiri’s company has bought seven plots in Lilongwe and is working on a hotel project along the Lilongwe-Mchinji Road, estimated to cost $21 million (about K15 billion).
SBI has footprints in a number of countries including his base in South Africa where it bought Sparkling Waters and Spa in 2016 and has since invested $100 million (K73 billion) in renovations, creating over 1 000 jobs in Rustenburg.
According to Malawi Investment Trade Centre (Mitc) spokesperson Deliby Chimbalu, the delegates are from Netherlands, India, Ireland, Nigeria, United Kingdom, United States of America, South Africa, China, Zambia Zimbabwe.
Financing institutions are also part of the sessions and they include Africa Agriculture Investment and Trade Fund (Aaitf), Trade and Development Bank (TDB) formerly PTA Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, Standard Bank Group, National Bank of Malawi plc, CDH Investment Bank.
The forum will focus on five key sectors of agriculture and agro-processing, energy, manufacturing, tourism, transport and infrastructure.
It will also feature a trade exhibition and a financiers’ session.
This is the third MIF and the first one was held in 2015.
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