BUSHIRI AND UEBERT ANGEL: PROPHETS OR POLITICAL OPERATIVES?

BUSHIRI AND UEBERT ANGEL: PROPHETS OR POLITICAL OPERATIVES?

At a recent birthday celebration for Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, his Zimbabwean friend Uebert Angel made remarks that deserve serious scrutiny.

Angel claimed that while in the United States he had a conversation with former President Lazarus Chakwera. According to Angel, he warned Chakwera about the dangers of “mistreating men of God” like Bushiri. He then suggested that Chakwera and the MCP lost the September 16 election because Bushiri continued appearing in court.

Let us pause there.

That is not prophecy. That is political storytelling.

It feeds a convenient narrative — one that paints Bushiri as a persecuted spiritual figure whose legal troubles triggered divine political consequences. And if you have been paying attention, this framing is not accidental.

Bushiri’s recent speeches and Facebook posts have been noticeably warm toward the current DPP administration and President Peter Mutharika. At times, he appears almost lyrical about the government’s achievements.

Is that surprising? Not really.

Bushiri has legal baggage. He faces unresolved issues in South Africa. Anyone in that position understands the importance of staying on good terms with those in power. The last thing he would want is renewed political hostility that could complicate his situation further.

But here is where Angel crossed the line.

In attempting to defend or elevate his friend, Angel’s remarks bordered on what can only be described as prophetic blackmail — the suggestion that political leaders suffer consequences for failing to honour certain “men of God.

That is a dangerous narrative.

Governments are elected by voters, not installed or removed by prophets. To imply that electoral defeat is divine punishment for legal action against a religious figure is not theology. It is political manipulation dressed in spiritual language.

And Angel did not stop there.

He went further and publicly told former Vice President Michael Usi that he cannot win an election and that his best option would be to help someone else.

That was unnecessary. It was inappropriate. And it was disrespectful.

Michael Usi attended a birthday party, not a prophetic crusade. He did not request a prophecy. He was not seeking political advice from a visiting preacher. Publicly reducing a former Vice President’s political future to a throwaway comment in front of cameras shows poor judgment at best.

Malawians must ask a simple question: Who exactly was Angel speaking for?

Was this merely a personal opinion? A joke? Or was it an attempt to shape political narratives in a country that is not his own?

Malawi is not a stage for foreign religious figures to experiment with political messaging. Our democracy is not governed by prophecies, and our elections are not spiritual competitions.

Bushiri, if he values his public image, must be careful about the messengers he chooses. Uebert Angel’s performance did not strengthen Bushiri’s position. It exposed the uncomfortable intersection of religion, politics and personal survival.

Respect matters. Context matters. And prophecy should never be weaponised as a political tool.