CIO put Prophet Makandiwa on the radar

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Controversial Harare businessman Philip Chiyangwa and Minister Webster Shamu

HARARE - President Mugabe's notorious State security agents are keeping an eagle eye on popular prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa.

Last week he filled the National Sports Stadium with people, including Zanu (PF) political commissar Webster Shamu and other senior officials desperate to gain votes ahead of forthcoming elections.

Zanu(PF) is famous for targeting churches as a potential sourceof supporters and Makandiwa’s United Family International is the latest destination for the vote seekers.

Prior to his service, dubbed Judgment Night and attended by more than 100 000 people, Makandiwa had been quoted in the media predicting chaos. Harare was tense – but the anticipated mayhem came to naught.

Throughout his sermon the charismatic prophet did not dabble in politics and kept his sermon to spiritual matters. One CIO agent who was there said several operatives were in the crown, keeping tabs on the mercurial prophet.

“We were there to listen to whether he would make any political statements and to gauge the mood of the people,” he said.

Webster Shamu in picture

There were concerns as to how the super-rich prophet managed to acquire so much wealth in a very short space of time, added the source.

Recently Makandiwa, who is chauffeur-driven and travels surrounded by bodyguards, bought a public address system said to be the only one of its kind in Africa.

He has also been able to do what Zanu (PF) has failed to do in the past two decades - pull in huge crowds.

Sources say Makandiwa, who solemnized the Anti-sanctions launch by Zanu(PF) last year, is under pressure to play the tune of the former ruling party. - The Zimbabwean