Batshu's fall linked to Bushiri

It was a big jubilee for Enlightened Christian Gathering church members and Prophet Shepherd Bushiri followers when Minister Edwin Batshu was dropped from cabinet last week. Their take is simple: He messed up with the wrong man in Bushiri. They are adamant that it was the prayers of Major One that removed the former Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs Batshu from cabinet because ‘he had been giving the church a hard time.’ The battle between the two parties started last year when government denied Major One permission to enter the country, by requiring a VISA from him. Other court issues arose, with government accusing the leadership of running an illegal church.

It was found that the church was not registered and had not been submitting annual returns. At one point, the church had to be closed. But again, other than ECG, Batshu has been under scrutiny for allegedly attacking fire churches and deporting their foreign pastors. The stern Batshu in his reign said he was protecting citizens from wolves parading as men of God, or wolves in sheep’s skin as they are commonly known. Under him the nation saw the church shake especially those that were operating illegally. In 2012, one Apostle Francis Sakufiwa of New season's Ministries was sent packing over suspicions that he was at the centre of a syndicate involved in crimes like drug-dealing, money laundering and tax evasion. Allegations of abuse of women and girls in the church were also leveled against him. Interestingly, Sakufiwa was the one who made Bushiri famous in Botswana by inviting him as a guest preacher and prophet at his mega conferences. Then, Bushiri was still new and largely unknown.

The Malawian-born Major One would prophesy in 2012 that he saw a dark cloud hovering over Botswana and warned that government should stop harassing foreign pastors as God wanted to make Botswana a great country through the church. “I see God using men of God to restore the joy of this country again. But government should stop fighting the church,” he was quoted by this publication then. Batshu also angered ECG members when he deported Prophet Brian Sovi, who is affiliated to them through Zimbabwean Prophet Eubert Angel, who is famously regarded as Major 1’s spiritual father. Sovi is also Angel’s spiritual son. Among others, the handsome and youthful Sovi was deported last year, for operating a church not registered and for charging congregants consultation fee of P1000 to see him one-on-one to receive prophecies about their lives.

Two weeks back, the former minister denied yet another man of the cloth from Mpumalanga Prophet Penuel Mnguni of End Times Disciples Ministries, entry into the country. Popularly known as ‘Snake Pastor’ for feeding his congregants snakes saying they would taste like chocolate, he was sent back from Sir Seretse Khama airport in the company of his wife and daughter over unclear reasons. Further, Batshu’s ministry was under siege among Christians at one point when government wanted church registration to be increased from 10 members to 250. Pastors felt this was punishment and interference of government over spiritual matters. And Batshu had to take the backlash. A movement of Bushiri’s followers who call themselves Sons and Daughters of Major One were more that happy last week when Batshu got sacked. “You touch Major One by mistake, you die by correction. It was Major One who fired him, good for him,” said one of them on Facebook.