A nation divided: The Bushiri effect
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Friday May 5, 2017 14:44
Government had long been growing sceptical. Generally considered a Christian-leaning country, the Constitution guarantees religious freedom and the current and previous administrations had always shown themselves hesitant to interfere in matters of religion.
From Independence when the dominant churches were Catholic, Anglican, Protestant, Lutheran, alongside growing African traditional groups, the predecessors of the current Government found little to trigger an intervention into organised religion.
Even later administrations that found a rising Pentecostal movement led in particular by the Apostolic groups, still enjoyed general stability, as Batswana chose the older churches, the new or opted to sit out the entire affair.
The last decade however has seen, the rise of a hybrid of Charismatic and Pentecostal churches and leaders, which has shaken the local religious sector, particularly the proponents of the last few years who have cranked up the ante, with the emergence of super-churches, televangelists and personality cult leaders. Week-long healing crusades, miracles from oil and water and the prosperity gospel not only preached by praised and embodied by the church leaders, Batswana were initially outraged, then curious and finally, some were swept over by what now are called ‘fire churches’.
Hundreds of Batswana began travelling to the furthest parts of Africa seeking healing, financial miracles and other blessings even as reports persisted that the fire churches were primarily money-making scams where miracles were faked and pastors lined their pockets.
Critics pointed to the sudden explosion in the number of churches and charismatic pastors, where each week stadia, halls and other venues around the country were booked for crusades and other gatherings.
The current administration, which ironically boasts the highest number of pastors or church leaders in Cabinet, was getting unnerved at organised religion for the first time in decades. Last year, amendments were passed in an effort to stem the ballooning fire church numbers by granting registration only to those that could demonstrate memberships of 150 and above, an increase from 10 prior to the amendments.
The crusades continued; Batswana were soon making up the highest proportion of pilgrims to super-fire churches and their leaders in Pretoria, Lagos and elsewhere. In 2014, 10 Batswana narrowly escaped death after a mega-pastor’s building collapsed in Nigeria killing close to 100 people and in 2015, another mega-pastor’s crusade caused a mini-stampede in Tlokweng that crushed a wall, after his followers broke forward to see him. Batswana began catching on also, establishing their own fire churches and styling themselves after the foreign mega-pastors. Government’s patience was running thin and on Wednesday morning,
Batswana awoke to find that one of the most popular of the mega-pastors, Shepherd Bushiri, had essentially been placed on a travel ban to Botswana. Bushiri, the Malawian founder of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) based in Pretoria, will have to apply for visa to travel to Botswana, unlike ordinary Malawians.
In practice, the visa requirement has previously been applied to deny unwanted foreigners entry into Botswana. Bushiri, known by his multitudes of vociferous supporters as Major One, is perhaps the most popular of the fire church leaders, having established several well-attended branches in the country.
His previous crusades in Botswana have been packed to the rafters, often shutting down whatever area they are being held in, with Batswana eager to experience the healing and other miracles on offer. Thousands travel monthly from Botswana, through established tour guides and packages, to Bushiri’s Pretoria headquarters, spending up to four days in prayer and healing sessions, sermons and other activities.
Packages that allow one to receive a personal touch from Bushiri reportedly cost P7,000 and above, including meals, accommodation and shuttle service. News of government’s move has divided the nation. On one end, many sceptics and critics are delirious with joy, apparently relieved that government has stepped in to stop what they believe is the wholesale deception and defrauding of unsuspecting Batswana. In this camp, many are happy that Bushiri’s upcoming crusade on May 27 may not take place or will take place without him, as Government is unlikely to break precedence and grant him a visa.
Their views from social media:
Priscilla Kokie Mabalane
Tota nna ke robetse boroko kgo! Sorry to say this. I feel that’s the best thing that Botswana ever did. Forever grateful tota. Visa all the way.
Thobo Goodwill Mashadi
Do not let that hooligan to come and swindle money out of the poor morons of Botswana. Or we agree gore ha a tla ha ha a boe a rwele nyelenyele ya madi like Pastor Bondo last time.
Lala S O Mooketsi
I wonder why some Batswana feel gore we need him, you are wrong we don’t need him. We need to pray and be patient, we need God, not a false prophet. Rona ga re mo battle.
Dazigus Dagee The Producer
There is only one man we need to enter Botswana. His name is Jesus. The real prophet, real healer and real miracle man. I wonder when Batswana will open their eyes gore these fake prophets are mentioned in the Bible and here to destroy lives.
Meanwhile, on the other end, many of Bushiri’s followers and sympathisers are not only livid, but vowing to petition government to lift their leader’s visa restriction. Many of Bushiri’s followers are reading sinister freedom of religion violations into the latest action and are questioning why other more traditional leaders have not suffered the same action.
Moruntshi Kemorwale
Prophet Bushiri runs a ministry where over 70,000 believers congregate each Sunday for a service. Even if he was paid for his services (which he is not), so what? Kante who pays? It is your money? Why don’t you allow the owners of the money to be concerned? You never worry when men waste money on prostitutes, you never question how much they spend on football and all other nonsenses of this world, but you worry about money at church.
Thami Lesole
They are lying. Do you need a visa to monitor someone? Akere he gets in through the borader or the airport. Major One has been coming to Botswana without the need for such, why all of the sudden there is need for a visa? And you think they are going to apply? This is an attempt to insult the man but the BDP Government has in effect insulted itself.
Uttie Utlwanang
Those who are against him ke bone ba tla beng ba tletsi ko stadium ba re thodia ka bo I receive. Batswana you’ll always be poor and never taste riches of God. If at your church, you preach poverty, stay there and leave us with Major 1.
Tebogo Kgalemang, the personal assistant to ECG Gaborone resident pastor Onkabetse Phitshane says the church will follow the law and apply for Bushiri’s visa. “We saw the notice of the visa restriction on Facebook and we are not sure if the letter that has been circulating in the media is legitimate or not.
We are trying to find out if it is indeed true that the government has restricted our prophet from entering the country without a visa.
“If we find out that it is true, we will have to abide by the government’s decision and apply for a visa,” she said.The church is adamant that the planned May 27 crusade will still go forward, although it is unclear whether the man of the moment will be allowed into the country.
Bushiri himself posted enigmatic Bible messages and quotes on his social media, suggesting he was aware of Botswana’s last moves against him.
“Obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves,” he posted yesterday morning followed by, “When people let you down, God will lift you up.”
In the afternoon he posted: “No matter how much you honour and serve God, there’s going to be some rain in your life. Some pain, some temporary setbacks.”
Besides dividing Batswana, it remains to be seen what further impact the action against Bushiri will have.
His supporters are already painting him as a persecuted saint, suggesting higher volumes to his Pretoria headquarters should he continue unable to enter Botswana. His critics say the move is a first strike that should send other mega-pastors and fire-church leaders scattering away from Botswana.
Eventually, the impact will fall somewhere between the two dipoles.