MK party could alienate voters over Shivambu’s ties to Bushiri, expert warns

A political analyst has warned that the “puzzling” relationship between uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party secretary-general Floyd Shivambu and Shepherd Bushiri may come back to hurt the party.

Shivambu visited Malawi in April, meeting with politicians and Bushiri. During the trip, Shivambu was introduced at the controversial pastor’s church as a South African politician, to loud cheers.

Bushiri was arrested in South Africa in 2020 but fled the country soon after. He faces charges of alleged rape, contravention of bail conditions, and forgery.

The self-proclaimed prophet and his wife, Mary, also face fraud charges.

Despite condemnation from the South African government, Shivambu defended his association with fugitive Bushiri again last week.

A stance that may hurt the party at the polls

“Shivambu’s visit to Bushiri is rather puzzling given the controversy that surrounds him,” Sanet Solomon from the University of the Free State told The Citizen.

“By associating with Bushiri, Shivambu and his party, by association, could be alienating voters.

“South Africans are facing many challenges related to femicide, rape, corruption and fraud that voters would want to distance themselves from this.”

Despite Bushiri being an influential figure and businessman in Malawi, Solomon said the “MK party would certainly not benefit from any association with the rogue ‘pastor’.”

Shivambu heads to the ‘house of the Lord’

Meanwhile, Shivambu said he will not apologise for accepting an offer to go to the “house of the Lord”.

“One thing I will never apologise for is when I went to see Prophet Shepherd Bushiri, and he said, ‘Let’s go to church’. I said, ‘I will go to church’.

“I am like those who say I am glad when they say, ‘Let us go unto the house of the Lord’.”

The MK party distanced itself from the visit at the time, claiming Shivambu had travelled in his personal capacity.

ALSO READ: Malawi court grants South Africa’s request to extradite Shepherd Bushiri and wife

Zuma knew about visit

However, the politician said this week that even party president Jacob Zuma was aware of the trip.

“There is nothing that I do without informing the president. There is no political programme that I engage in without making the president aware.

“There is no decision that I communicate to the membership of MK and externally without the president knowing,” he said.

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