Shepherd Bushiri (born 20th February 1983) also known as Major 1 is a Malawian preacher, prophet, businessman, motivational speaker, and author.
He is a controversial figure who gained popularity after releasing a video that showed him walking in the air. Bushiri's former public relations manager later revealed that Bushiri staged miracles to gain media attention. Bushiri runs a Christian non-denominational charismatic evangelical church known as the Enlightened Christian Gathering based in South Africa. The church has headquarters in Pretoria, South Africa, with branches in other African countries and around the world. Tens of thousands of people are attracted to the church every day. He describes the church as a Prophetic Ministry based on the principle that "God cares and loves people and wants to speak directly to them".
Bushiri's investment company, Shepherd Bushiri Investments, has been implicated in several charges of fraud, and money laundering and a number of its assets have been seized by police after a Ponzi scheme it ran collapsed and pensioners were defrauded. The company was also sued in the United States of America and charges of fraud laid. The company is based in Sandton, near Johannesburg, 27+ mines, with interests in forex trading, real estate and in the airline industry. He also owns a television channel, a telecommunications company, various farms, properties, sports academies and universities. Bushiri ventured into business as a young man to support his community and the work of the gospel globally. His rise to wealth has been called meteoric, using innovative business methods in various industries to accumulate riches.
Early life
Bushiri was born and grew up in Mzuzu, which is in the northern part of Malawi and is a Tumbuka by tribe. His mother gave him the name Shepherd due to the complexities around his birth, acknowledging the Lord as her Shepherd.
He travels around the world holding crusades and meetings focused on teaching, prophesy and healing. In August 2018, he was invited as a guest of honour at South Africa's National Day of Inter-faith prayer held at the Emirates Airline Stadium in Johannesburg, during which he offered prayers of reconciliation and unity. The event was attended by South African leading clergy and South Africa's Vice President David Mabuza.
Given name controversy
Claims were made in The Citizen in February 2019 that Bushiri was born as Chipiliro Gama; "an invoice mistakenly sent to Baloyi Attorneys did not use the popular name Shepherd Bushiri, and instead called him Chipiliro Gama". A report in The Sunday Times newspaper for February 2019 stated that "Bushiri's father, Huxley, and mother, Cristina, a Zambian by birth raised him as Chipiliro Gama".
In September 2019, Bushiri's spokesperson and communications director, Ephraim Nyondo, denied the allegations.
Career
Bushiri is now known as one of the wealthiest pastors in the world and one of the most affluent people in Africa.
He is mentored by multimillionaire businessman and leader of Good News Church in the UK, Prophet Uebert Angel. Bushiri is said to be the most celebrated and popular "spiritual son" of Prophet Angel.
Enlightened Christian Gathering church
The Enlightened Christian Gathering church is reported as one of the fastest-growing churches in Africa and the world. Bushiri is the founder of the church. He has established and leads churches in South Africa, Malawi, Ghana, South Sudan and other countries. He has been interviewed for television by the BBC and received coverage also in Al Jazeera, New African, Nigerian Tribune, and African Leadership magazine.
On the night of 28 December 2018, three people died, and nine others were injured during a stampede at the ECG Church caused by people trying to avoid a thunderstorm. Bushiri's spokesman Maynard Manyowa told the media, "The ECG Church is not his [Bushiri's] church; it belongs to South Africa and South Africans." Manyowa also said that the deaths were "not his [Bushiri's] problem, but a problem that the church must deal with."
Bushiri's services attract over viewers via his personally-owned television station, social media and in-person attendees. His largest gatherings are held on New Year's Eve at FNB Stadium, South Africa, with over attendees both in 2016 and 2017. The FNB Stadium is the largest stadium in Africa.
His church gatherings have always been well received.
