Mystery as Bushiri's church is deregistered
Mpho Mokwape | Friday August 23, 2019 14:31
The reasons for the church’s de-registration are yet unknown but according the Registrar of Societies Act, a society can be deregistered under circumstances where it has failed to submit its returns annually after being operational for a year, has become a branch of, or affiliated to or connected with, any organisation or group of a political nature established outside Botswana and/or has changed its objectives or pursues objectives other than its declared ones without seeking consent from the Registrar.
Apparentlym the church was informed of the decision on July 25, 2019 after a continuous alleged failing to adhere to rules and regulations dating back to 2016. Bushiri’s church has in the past been entangled in a bitter war with the government, and was at some point, de-registered for amongst other things, not submitting audited financial results for two financial years and internal fighting by its leaders. The battle ended at the court, but the Registrar of Societies later re-registered the church in 2018.
Information reaching this publication is that the church, which has 58 branches across the country, is yet to inform its members about the recent development. Instead, sources say the church continues to carry out activities and even receive money from members in the name of the church despite having warned not to do so by the Registrar of Societies.
While government authorities had not officially responded to Mmegi questions at the time of going to press, both the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Ngaka Ngaka and his public relations officer, Annah Ramorogo said they were aware of the matter. In a brief interview via phone, Ngaka said he was aware of the matter, but asked the reporter to call back in the afternoon, as he was unable to discuss the matter at that particular moment. However, his phone rang unanswered and he did not answer Mmegi calls when contacted at the agreed time.
For her part, Ramorogo said: “There is something to that effect” but demanded she be sent a questionnaire. She had not responded to the questionnaire by the time of going to print.
Meanwhile, the church’s executive secretary Pelotshweu Baeng vehemently refuted the allegations.
“We don’t know anything about that. It’s news to us. These are mischievous elements by people who are against the church and are manufacturing fake news trying to cause a conflict between government and ECG members.
“I urge ECG members to ignore this rumour. If government had de-registered us, they would have told us to stop operating. It is just our enemies,” said Baeng.
Baeng said the Botswana government was very democratic and would never take such action without engaging those involved.
“Our government is very democratic and would never take such action without giving us hearing. “They would give us a chance to speak and hear our side of the story, so the rumour is unfounded and fake,” he added.
He stated that the church continues to operate normally.