Ramaphosa ‘angry’ as Mkaka met Bushiri ahead of escape: Malawi, South Africa in diplomatic spat
Reports that Malawi’s Foreign Affairs minister Eisenhower Mkaka met controversial millionaire preacher Shepherd Bushiri in South Africa hours before he fled to his native Malawi, is lending credence to the narrative that the Bushiri’s escape was aided by the government of Malawi top brass.
There had been allegations that Bushiri fled on Malawi’s presidential jet with President Lazarus Chakwera – something that has been denied by Chakwera’s office.
Chakwera was on a two-day official visit to South Africa and returned late on Friday as Bushiri announced his Malawi presence on Saturday morning.
Apparently, Mkaka met Bushiri in Pretoria hours before he skipped bail in a case of alleged fraud and money laundering.
Mkaka was only seen posting photos on Facebook of meeting Bushiri’s aide, Kelvin Sulugwe in company of President Chakwera’s executive assistant and communication director Sean Kampondeni in Pretoria.
According to BBC’s Nomsa Maseko, Mkaka reportedly received a phone call from a “senior South African official” who wanted to know how Bushiri ended up to Malawi.
Mkaka answered: “I don’t know. […] What Bushiri did was done in his personal capacity and received no help via official channels”.
He told Maseko that it is the duty of the government to protect all Malawians but added that President Chakwera is a staunch advocate of the rule of law and that all diplomatic channels will remain open.
A social media commentator Joshua Chisa Mbele posting on Facebook that Mkaka met Bushiri on Tuesday.
Mbele argued that Mkaka, who is also Malawi Congress Party (MCP) secretary general, has embarrassed President Chakwera as the issue could cause a diplomatic spat between Malawi and South Africa – as questions are being asked about how Mr Bushiri and his wife managed to leave.
“I’m here scratching my skull, what the hell Hon. Mkaka was doing with Bushiri or agreeing to meet him. What business was being discussed. If true, I ask the President to discipline Hon. Mkaka. It seems the Hon. Minister doesn’t understand powers and sensitivities surrounding the Foreign Affairs Ministry,” wrote Mbele, a known politician-cum-entrepreneur who has been a resident of South Africa.
He also noted that the twee of South Africa’s Finance Minister Tito Mboweni on allegations that Bushiri fled with the help of President Chakwera is “extremely damaging.”
South African media says the country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa is ‘extremely angry’ over Malawian preacher, Shepherd Bushiri’s escape from the Rainbow nation on Wednesday.
Analysts say the decision by Bushiri to run away from prosecution in South Africa in what has been dubbed as the ‘miracle escape’ in social media platforms, might cause a diplomatic storm between South Africa and Malawi.
The Sunday Times newspaper of South Africa says the escape has left Ramaphosa extremely angry and the law enforcement agencies red-faced.
South Africa’s Justice Minister Ronald Lamola said the government would not hesitate to move to extradite fugitives.
Other South Africa newspapers continue to speculate that Chakwera’s presidential jet, which left South Africa on Friday mid night, was linked to the escape but evidence shows that Bushiri arrived in the country earlier before Chakwera’s return on Friday night.
President Chakwera’s visit to South Africa last week has been overshadowed by the escape of Bushiri from the Rainbow nation.
Bushiri, who is dominating news on all major mainstream media including the social media platforms, said there had been attempts on his life and he accused the South African authorities of not offering protection.
The leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church described his decision to skip bail as “a tactical withdrawal meant to preserve lives” while speaking in a live feed on Facebook Saturday.
An observer told Nyasa Times that Bushiri’s escape is a “complete embarrassment” and yet another sign of weak African institutions.
The observer said this would never happen in the West such as Heathrow Airport in London because the institutions there work.
“But the hero worshipping of the rich and famous that goes on in Africa has made this possible.”
The first photo of prophet Bushiri in Lilongwe surfaced on Twitter and was shared by former Malawi Attorney General Ralph Kasambara.
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You are all an idiots who writes wrong about your own president and SA President, If you think you have brain by talking your rubbish you are the rotten person in this world we live in. If you want to know how Bushiri escaped from South Africa please go and ask him how did he manage to do so. he is the only person who has the answers for you. To all Bushiri followers I want to ask you these questions (1) If I am innocent in all charges against me why then running away. (2) As a prophet as… Read more »
A person can be protected by God not only by prayer but also running away from an enemy
mwinithako ndiwe galu kwabasi. Alomwe mwaonongera dziko muja. Shupiti
Galu ndi iweyo. Why do think a blue black bitch like you can say anything about a lomwe. Iweyo ungathe kulamula dziko. Tenga nsabwe zako za nyau ukatsuke kubumbu kwakoko. Mahule a mu Assembly of dicks. Chitsiru. Stop making it about achewa and alomwe or what have you. You will come short. A chewa started running Malawi for 30 years since 1964 it still looks like Dambwe la ku Ntchisi mcp was notorious for imprisoning citizens nepotism and all kinds of evil.How many people did Mutharika murder, how many did he imprison detain without trial. Take your nyau piss and… Read more »
Only in Africa we don’t celebrate each other and help each other but rather destroy and pull each other down if Bushiri was a European we could have seen many Europeans behind him and supporting him but here is a black man and a Malawian coming for rescue to his home land and his people are saying he must be handled back to people who are after him sure Africans when are we going to change? it’s why we used to sell each other to whites time of slavery and that mentality is still in us i am not a… Read more »
These people did not win elections,but aided by judiciary which is dominated by Tumbukas and chewas who envied the Lhomwe reign.Now Chakwera and his Mkaka (Faeces) are caught with pants below elbows
We will aid them again in 2035
You hlomwes just have a spirit of tribalism and racism this is why the people of Malawi the central and north tightly voted against your mlakho government. How could you always not forget to speak about tumbuka people who only 55,000 registered for the votes role? Where do you put the nkhondes ,the tongas, the ngonis , the mzimbas, the tongas, the 12 tribes of chitipa, you need to repent from the spirit of tribalism . Even the story itself here is about how bushiri escaped from South Africa 🙄 not what tribe in Malawi you hate most. Chakwera is… Read more »
Everyone Is the tribalistic. What is making your machende itch. You too can love your own. Who lied to you that you can love everyone except your own. Achewa they are the ones who are the most tribalistic until someone beats them to their game. Go and sit in dothi la nyau
Though I don’t support Bushiri, was it wrong for Mkaka to meet Bushiri? So if someone is on bail should not meet government officials? Is Bushiri being prosecuted for treason that it has reached a point where even his relatives or friends should not see and talk with him? Mkaka did right to meet Bushiri, he hasn’t been found guilty until proven in court of all. The fact that he is known for women and fraud does not take a way a fact that he is Malawian and needs government interventions.
It wasnt wrong for them to meet, yes. But it has raised eyebrows since Bushiri left after they had met, creating speculations as to what they discussed, which may/may not include his plans to jump bail. The timing of events is what’s causing the commotion.
Do you have evidence that Bushiri was helped by the minister himself ?I think you RSA people are just barking like dogs and your thinking is like that of a goat. I have never seen lazy shit like you and too much jelousy in you.You have taken the heart of Shaka Zulu always plundering other peoples cattle wherever he was going.You are lucky as RSA was developed by whites otherwise you would have been in deep slumber up now.
It is very sad how some of u think of South Africa. Yet millions of u are here in our country. If we are that bad why are you crossing countries just to reach our country. I thought the issue was about this charlatan Bushiri who must account fir his actions.
ok got you Tman but my worry is how some of you behave and you dont mind eliminating somebodys life thats why has been several attempts to kill Bushiri and he was insecure thats why he decided to escape using hokmah.
It’s really embarassing to read your response on this article about South Africans, and moreover you lend credence to the notion that foreigners in south africa should be treated with suspicions. And there are plenty of your fellow countrymen and women whom have sought refugee in our shores and have been intergrated in the local communities and unfortunately some die en-route to RSA hidden inside the fuel tankers.
Inenso ndili konkuno ku South Africa wowathawa ngambiri mbiri samakawatenga kapena kuwabweretsa musiyeni mwana wafika pakwao kuno moyo wake unali pachiopsyezodi. Ndichifukwa anthu amathawa. Inenso sindipita ku tchalichi kwake. Koma kulakwa analakwadi. Koma wafika kwao musamutumize. Chifukwa choopsyeza kuti ubale uonongela kuno kuli ubale?
MALAWI????? THE MINISTER AND THE JOURNALIST
i was shocked by the ministers response on how the Bushiris arrived in Malawi very unprofessional response.
My question is, what evidence is there to point that he really came back earlier than H.E? Why is the state silent on this issue? Why were there delays that both states are dilly dallying on what transpired that night and why was the H.E just calm and did not consult his colleague in SA on this? Andale mumatinamiza and boma ilili nwayamba kulandira benefit of my doubts, kuyambira issue ya ku Crossroads, the Prado. Pano ndi izi. You also have childish ministers in Msungama and Mkaka. You have ministers who aren’t delivering, the likes of Michael Usi. We voted… Read more »
Iwenso nde galu weni weni. I thought the Presidential aicraft was thoroughly searched before departure. DPP cadet iwe, very foolish.
Ine sindimamsapota Bushiri chikhalireni koma zimene wachita apa ndiri naye ku mbuyo kwambiri pa zifukwa zingapo: Kulibe munthu uyang’anira muvi kuti udzimulowa mmaso imfa ikubwera basi uosathawa; akubera katundu wako basi uli chete. Ramaphosa akunama zikumkanika zambiri kuno tili konkuno ku SA monga kuphedwa Senzo Meyiwa 6 years ago akupangapo chiyani; The Guptas anathawa akuchitapo chiyani; azimayi akuphedwa kuno akungolankhula pakamwa pokha; katangale mu ANC ili phwi ikumkanika poti Bushiri wapita kwawo wakwiya chiyani boza lokhalokha manyazi amenewo samayembekezera kuti mu Malawi angapange zimenezo amationa ngati ndife opusa kwambiri kuno. Ndiponso ndi dziko lophweka kulibenso mu Africa muno pazochitika. Wanzeru… Read more »
Bushiri planned his escape on his own without the aid of Mkaka, he did not need him. South African/Lesotho/Eswatini officials aided the escape