Malawi’s President Chakwera to visit South Africa amid Bushiri problems
President Lazarus Chakwera in continuing his “solidarity visits” will be on a two-day visit to South Africa for talks with his counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa amidst a background of Prophet Shepherd Bushiri’s problematic stay in Pretoria.
Both Foreign Minister Eisenhower Mkaka and State House director of communication and executive assistant to the President, Sean Kampondeni have confirmed what they call “working visit”.
President Chakwera will leave Malawi for South Africa on Thursday and will return home on Friday.
Mkaka, who is already in Pretoria, said he visit will help in strengthening bilateral relations between Malawi and South Africa.
“This trip will give President Chakwera and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa an opportunity to learn from each other as well as strengthen the two countries bilateral relations,” said Mkaka
Government has not disclosed the agenda of the meeting between Chakwera and his South African counterpart.
However, South Africa is the economic powerhouse for the region and close to a million Malawians work and seek economic refuge in the Rainbow country.
Speaking Sunday night in Mzuzu while meeting with local traditional leaders, Chakwera said his government will find out what is happening to Prophet Bushiri in Pretoria.
One of the chiefs had asked Chakwera to investigate what is happening to Bushiri in South Africa and, if needs be, government must step in to help the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG) church leader return to Malawi.
In response, Chakwera said: “Thank you so much for the question. I cannot give a full response now as matters are still in court; but I can assure you that I will follow up and find out everything and inform the nation.”
Bushiri also known as ‘Major 1’ or ‘Papa’ by ECG Church worshippers was arrested on last month, which riled the Malawian public, asking government to intervene.
Some members of civil society and faith groups recently asked government to intervene in the ongoing legal battles facing South Africa-based Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri and bring him back home.
Malawi Watch executive director Billy Banda and Anthony Mukumbwa—a commissioner of the Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) and a close friend of Bushiri—alleged that Bushiri was being targeted by investigating agencies and receiving unfair treatment from the legal system in South Africa.
It is also expected that Chakwera and Ramaphosa will discuss issues of trade between the two countries as Malawi is one of the biggest importers of South African goods.
The South Africa trip is Chakwera’s fifth State visit since he assumed office in June this year, the first being a day -long visit to Lusaka, Zambia then Zimbabwe followed by Mozambique and Tanzania.
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Alice please don’t misuse the word anointed on this thug and thief bushiri. Describe him with proper words according to his work
Chakwera is doing his service to malawian not saving anyone’s ass for their alleged offenses. Bushiri is innocent until proven guilty by courts ,so why would any normal state president make state visit to issues in courts? Some comments express complete lack of any idea why state visits are important to the nations involved. How can one talk about hotel cost in south Africa, the same country that transforms lives of many malawians? South Africa is an economic God-father to malawi.
Partisanship will kill us in the long run,we are all Africans,lets have widened thinking
There is no way Chakwera can meddle with the judicial system of South Africa. What if South Africa or any other powerful country did the same when he was fighting for justice during the election case? He has always preached that he will respect the rule of law and he can’t go against that in a foreign country where the Judiciary is expected to be free of any political interference.
Chatapu
Let’s not waste our time, Chakwera didn’t say he was going to South Africa because of Bushiri. I don’t think any living president would do that. This trip was there way before this con artist’s arrest. Do you think our president who couldn’t put on a mask in TZ fearing he would offend the host, will question SA’s legal system?
Akalangizidwe za ayuda ameneyu
The president needs to stay in his lane while in South Africa, he CANNOT dictate his wishes on Bushiri and his wife. that will make him look really bad as a leader, LMC should NOT even raise that issue!!!!!, let SA courts deal with that!!!!!
The President cannot be two faced by fighting corruption in Malawi and yet save /defend a criminal in South Africa
LMC needs to thread carefully with this one. He may appear to justify criminal behaviour which is what Tonse Government is against, he cannot clear the rubble in Malawi but build the rubble in a foreign country
Ndikupanda nzeru kuti a President alowerepo pa nkhaniyi. Ndi ntchito ya court ya kuno imeneyo. Ndipo ndiwolakwa ku Malawi konkuno chifukwa akugwilitsira Diplomatic passport. Pali umboni weni weni poti ndiwa ndalama kuno ku Malawi alibe mulandu. Akhale pansi a President akuyenda kwambiri ndi ndalama zoti agule Chakudya Mzipatala. Angopanga zoom meeting basi. Ma hotel ndi odula ku RSA. Ndipo kuli Corona.