Pastor Makandiwa flees Zimbabwe

HARARE – Word was rife yesterday that Emmanuel Makandiwa, a popular young pastor commanding one of the largest Christian denominations locally, had fled the country.

But his followers and top officials within his church movement denied that the 34-year-old was on the run after reports swelled that the charismatic Makandiwa had sought refuge abroad. They said he was on a three-week break while some said the rumours were the work of the devil.

The reports came as the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) told the Daily News that investigations into the legality of a money-spinning “spiritual air time card” venture launched by Makandiwa recently would be complete “in a day or two”.

Makandiwa’s spokesman, who identified himself as Pastor Kufa, said the “prophet” was on a three-week holiday with his “spiritual father”.

“I know that people want to play around with the name of the man of God. But the truth is (that) he has gone on a three-week holiday with his spiritual father and family,” said Kufa.

“He announced this way before this Potraz issue surfaced and he is not the legal person to be probed by Potraz as he is only the founder and father of the church,” he said.

The three-week absence means that Makandiwa will be unavailable for a massively advertised “Catch a Fire” conference in which he was supposed to be the star attraction between August 15-21 in Harare.

Observers said it was bizarre that Makandiwa could organise and advertise a conference that named him and Ugandan “Apostle” Robert Kayanja as main speakers when he knew he would be away. Pastor Kufa did not comment on this apparent misnomer.

Kayanja, who, like Makandiwa claims to be a miracle worker, was in 2009 cleared of sodomy and corruption charges by Ugandan police. It is now unclear whether the conference will proceed in Makandiwa’s absence. Potraz, on the other hand, is keen to finalise investigations into Makandiwa’s venture, according to Alfred Marisa, deputy director-general of Potraz.

Potraz is investigating whether Makandiwa’s cards, which allow clients to call him and get over-the-phone prophecies and spiritual messages, are not illegally riding on registered networks.

“We are finalising our investigations in the next one to two days,” said Marisa.

“Our plan for the investigations included a discussion with Makandiwa himself.

“When our team went there during the investigations, they were asked to meet a team of engineers and lawyers from there. They are still compiling the report from that mission and also checking on the nature of service the intended programme was going to offer.”

“This will help us in making a determination whether there is any contravention of the Telecommunications Act,” Marisa said. Makandiwa joined the mega-rich crew of young Pentecostal pastors when he broke away from the Apostolic Faith Mission to form his United Families International (UFI) church last year.

Large crowds flock to his “healing”, “prophesying” and preaching sessions. At one time he filled the 60 000 seater National Sports Stadium with followers. World soccer giants Brazil, which played Zimbabwe in 2010 and another Pentecostal church ZAOGA achieved this feat outside national events in the past few years.

Police spokesperson Wayne Bvudzijena last night said he was unaware of any criminal charges against Makandiwa. But that has not stopped the buzz. Makandiwa, who grew from rags as a village boy in Muzarabani to riches as a superstar church leader in nine years, had his presumed Facebook page teeming with sympathisers pouring scorn at reports that he had fled. – Daily News