Prophet Bushiri in South Sudan for State visit: VP leads raucous welcome at Juba airport

Thousands of South Sudanese and Malawians broke the wire fence and forced their way into Juba International Airport in South Sudan on Tuesday evening just to get up close to South Africa-based Malawian prophet Shepherd Bushiri of the Enlightened Christian Gathering (ECG)  who is on a State Visit to the country.

South Sudan vice president welcomes Bushiri on arrival at Juba airport in South Sudan

Prophet Bushiri greets deputy Inspector General of South Sudan police while the Inspector General looks on

Cheering people at Juba airport in South Sudan to welcome Prophet Bushiri

Bushiri, fondly addressed as Major 1 or Papa by his followers, was welcomed at the airport by a team of senior South Sudan government officials led by the vice president, Dr James Wani Igga; the Minister of Finance; the Minister of Justice; the Minister of Agriculture; and the Speaker of Parliament.

State security officers struggled to protect the Prophet from the raging and thunderous masses who trooped in shouting Major One! Major One! Major.

Flags of Malawi flew the skies of South Sudan with different dances displayed at the airport as if it was a welcome of the Prince returned to take over the throne.

Prophet Bushiri landed in the country on the invitation of South Sudan president Savir Kiev who is courting him to invest in the country’s booming mining and agriculture sector.

The rich preacher Bushiri already has investments in oil and agriculture in South Sudan.

Top level talks

And on Tuesday night  he held investments meeting with the Minister of Finance, of Mining, the vice president and the governor of the Reserve Bank.

In the meeting, South Sudan officials sold, in well prepared documents, all key areas of investments in their country with a quest of courting his hand.

In his speech, the vice president appealed to Prophet Bushiri to consider their country as top priority because “South Sudan is a giant awakening.”

“We are reorganizing our economy and we are courting a number of key people. In Africa, your name, beside being a respected man of God, also resonates huge as an investor.

“We are moved by how much you have grown your bussinesses in few years and, because you are already here, we should take advantage of you,” he said.

The soft spoken and youth Prophet Bushiri hailed the wonderful gesture of South Sudan government and people as one of the kind.

He said he feels so good to be recognised as such because somehow it appears people don’t appreciate what he has achieved in yeears.

“It is phenomenal that there are still nations and governments out there that appreciate what we do and want us to help. As I say always, those who want help, our doors will always,” he said.

Bushiri in parliament

On Wednesday November 8, Prophet Bushiri will address South Sudan Parliament before proceeding to a crusade to he held at Juba International Stadium.

The President has even ordered that the service be aired live both of the national television and radio.

Asked why Prophet Bushiri is getting such a grand stately reception in South Sudan, his communication director Ephraim Nyondo told Nyasa Times forom Juba that  the Prophet has always been a great friend of this Africa’s great nation.

“South Sudan has gone through a terrific period of instability and war. Few people dared to stand with it in investments.

“However, Prophet Bushiri defied these odds and has helped the country a lot both in terms of helping it access loans and also making personal investments.

“He has been behind key investments in South Sudan in areas of infrastructure, education, extractive industry and recently energy,” he said.

The trip to South Sudan comes hot on heals of a much publicised meeting he has on Saturday at his Sparkling Waters Hotel and Spa in Rustenburg, South Africa, when he  led Malawians in special prayers for his native country, urging mindset change to achieve positive transformation.