EFF MP Naledi Chirwa stokes controversy after video with Bushiri emerges

Economic Freedom Fighters MP Naledi Chirwa has been criticised after a video of her and Shepherd Bushiri surfaced on social media.

In the video, Chirwa is seen at the front of his church as Bushiri prophesies to her and tells her she will one day become a great leader. He talks about politicians who go to his church before elections but never go back to testify after getting what they prayed for.

“All these politicians come here and after elections they didn’t come and testify. The Lord will bless you. You will make a great leader. He will give you wisdom. Take more wisdom,” he says as he lays his hand on her head.

Chirwa then falls and is picked back up at Bushiri’s request.

“God will give you wisdom. They may fight you. I don’t know how you went up there. Follow your heart,” continues Bushiri to Chirwa’s agreement.

“I receive, Papa,” she says several times in the video.

Bushiri then tells her no one will bring her down.

She has been trending since on social media, with most questioning her allegiance to the pastor, who is surrounded by controversy.

Chirwa’s testimony was first shared by Bushiri on his Facebook page in September.

According to the post, she attended a service last year and was instructed, along with other congregants, to write down their wish on a paper as a petition.

“She wrote that she wants to become a member of parliament.”

Chirwa then did become an EFF MP.

“Take the Prophet’s declarations very seriously no matter how impossible they may sound! The Prophet doesn’t declare with his human wisdom; he speaks with inspiration from God,” reads the post.

A video of EFF leader Julius Malema has also been circulating on social media in which he slams those who knelt before him on Saturday at the party’s elective conference.

He says: “You will do those things of kneeling there before Bushiri because some of you even thank him for taking you to parliament. I’m not your father. Papa, papa Bushiri. I’m not papa of anyone. I receive, papa, papa. I’m in parliament, papa, papa. Slaughtering goats saying you’re in parliament because of your ancestors, personalising political responsibilities.”

He suggested that this view would only cause problems for those who were then removed from their positions, which may mean that Chirwa, for one, is now on shaky ground in the EFF.

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