'Avoid past mistakes': Shepherd Bushiri congratulates Malawi’s president-elect Peter Mutharika
File picture of self-proclaimed prophet Shepherd Bushiri and his wife Mary in Joburg.
Image: Jonisayi Maromo/IOL
Shepherd Bushiri, leader of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG), has issued a warm congratulatory message to Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika following his election victory in Malawi.
On Wednesday, AFP reported that Malawi's President Lazarus Chakwera conceded defeat in last week's election, saying in an address to the nation that it was clear his rival and predecessor, Peter Mutharika, had an "insurmountable lead".
The dire state of the economy in the small southern African country of 21 million people dominated the September 16 vote, with critics accusing Chakwera of mismanagement and indecisiveness during his first term.
"A moment ago, I called Professor Mutharika directly to congratulate him on his historic victory and to wish him well," Chakwera said just hours before the election authority was due to announce the final results of the vote.
Even ahead of the announcement, "it was clear that my main rival Peter Mutharika had already secured an insurmountable lead over me," said Chakwera, 70, from the Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
The former pastor, Chakwera, came to power in a strong win at the 2020 polls against Mutharika, an 85-year-old constitutional law expert from the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
Incoming Malawian president Peter Mutharika
Image: Facebook/Arthur Peter Mutharika
In a statement shared on social media platforms, Bushiri described Mutharika’s win as “a testament to your steadfast commitment to service, unity, and national development,” and prayed that God would grant the president “wisdom, strength, and divine guidance to lead this great nation into a new era of peace, inclusiveness, and prosperity.”
Bushiri also urged Mutharika’s incoming administration to “avoid the past mistakes which once cost the confidence of Malawians,” stressing that the new mandate should be “guarded with humility, diligence, and integrity.”
The self-proclaimed prophet pledged that his church, ECG — also known as The Jesus Nation Church — would continue to stand in prayer with the new administration, “believing that when righteous leaders are supported by prayer and integrity, a nation is blessed.”
But Bushiri remains a deeply controversial figure. He fled South Africa in November 2020 under mysterious circumstances, despite facing multiple criminal charges including fraud, money laundering, and contravention of exchange control regulations. He and his wife, Mary, were out on bail when they escaped to Malawi, sparking diplomatic tensions between Pretoria and Lilongwe.
South African authorities have repeatedly sought his extradition, with the Hawks describing him as central to a multimillion-rand investment fraud case. The couple has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting the charges were politically motivated.
Bushiri, once one of South Africa’s most high-profile church leaders, continues to command a large following in Malawi, South Africa and internationally.
His public statements, such as this congratulatory message, are closely followed not only by his multitude of supporters but also by critics who question his ongoing influence while remaining a fugitive from South African justice.
jonisayi.maromo@iol.co.za
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