Miracle money prophet irks Zim leaders

BILLY MAGEDI
Correspondent | Friday January 11, 2013 00:00

In December it was reported that the Spirit Embassy founder  left parishioners dumbfounded when he raised approximately P2,4 million during a 'miracle money' crusade.

Reacting to the news, Zimbabwe's minister of Finance Tendai Biti dared the Prophet to reproduce his 'miracle' for the country's ailing economy. Biti said: 'We wish these prophets can give us miracle money to fund government projects. We are told they can do wonders, why don't they come forward to help the nation? Now is the time Zimbabwe needs a miracle,' Biti said.

Angel responded to Biti's challenge saying his miracle work is not done for thieves in government or people who mismanage public funds. 'I am sorry minister (Biti), the miracle money is not for someone who has failed to account for his duties or for thieves in government,' Angel told newzibabwe.com

The demise of Zimbabwe's economy is attributed to massive corruption and bad policies under the Zanu PF establishment. But Biti, who was appointment Finance minister under the coalition government, was thrown into the deep end through the expectation for him to devise a lasting solution to a 30 year old problem. Uebert Angel's brother Lee was kicked out of Botswana last year, being called a security threat.  Even so, the  church still has a large following.

Uebert Angel alongside his spiritual partner Pastor Emmanuel Makandiwa have taken up the 'gospel of prosperity,' promising money or what they call blessings to their legion of followers. Last year, the  two gained access to an ailing Nelson Mandela in a move that shocked many because Mandela is kept away from the public.Last week Makandiwa prophesised that there would be a nationwide gold rush in Zimbabwe and the poor would become instant rich people.

But Makandiwa's prophesy, as well as Angel's claims that he can pray in front of an ATM machine for it to dispense money when his bank account has nothing, came under fire from Godwin Chitsinde the leader of Spoken Word Ministries in Harare. 'This rising-up of prophets shows a pattern of people who get into the ministry for money. It is very unfortunate,' Chitsinde told a church gathering. In recent years, the SADC region has seen an influx of prophets and pastors whose spiritual fathers are from West Africa. Prophet Makandiwa and Uebert Angel's spiritual father is Prophet Victor Boateng from Ghana.