Makandiwa’s whereabouts revealed

Sunday, 14 August 2011 18:48

BY PATIENCE NYANGOVE BELEAGURED church leader Emmanuel Makandiwa, who has been out of the country for the past two weeks, is with his West African spiritual father, Prophet Victor Kusi Boateng in the United Kingdom, it has been revealed. The Standard is also reliably informed that Makandiwa might also travel to West Africa. The evangelist who was recently dragged to the High Court over his “spiritual link” airtime recharge card invention, is said to have specifically travelled to meet Boateng, who heads a church called Power Chapel World Wide. Initial reports had claimed that he had run away in the wake of reports that the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) was investigating him over the system that runs short message services (SMS). The system allows Makandiwa’s followers to receive devotional messages from the popular evangelist. But Makandiwa’s brother, Ger-shame, whom The Standard tracked down to Muzarabani in Chief Kaseke’s area, said the United Family International leader said he was going to hold crusades in the UK. “I have heard that you people are claiming my brother has run away,” Gershame said. “But how can he do that when he bade me farewell? Someone who is on the run does not bid people goodbyes. “He is in the UK doing God’s work and he is coming back soon, once he is done.” Gershame said he was not surprised that his brother was being “persecuted.” “A prophet has no honour in his hometown and even the same happened to Jesus,” the older Makandiwa said. “The way I know it, people will say a lot, including claims that this church is a money-making project but that is not true. “Even Jesus, when he was alive was not accepted by the people.” Gershame admitted that many people in the area believed his younger brother was into witchcraft. “We have heard several stories that this young man went to Nigeria where he got juju to draw huge crowds and extort money,” said a villager from Chisecha, who only identified himself as Joel. “My family and I do not believe in his teachings or his powers. These are the people the Bible talks about — that in the last days there will be false prophets doing great wonders.” Makandiwa draws huge crowds each time he holds his church services and  at one time used to fill up the 60 000 seater National Sports Stadium.