on Goshen City

Barely a fortnight has gone to bed ever since news of the under construction city that is ‘Goshen’ reached the general public and to a delightful reception for a bunch of reasons. To the swarm of youthful job seekers, the news resurrected their hope for employment opportunities in a country where finding a white-collar job is as tough in a way that only compares to finding a spring in a desert, these are the same youths and more now who were promised one-million jobs during the last-tripartite election before the lip-service of politicians reminded everyone of its existence. To the swarm of local entrepreneurs within the construction premises, this is an opportunity to walk home with a happy profit by the time the construction process is done and dusted – here emphasis is on small-scale vendors who trade in food, transportation and offer accommodation at a price, not to mention those engaged in piece work. To the swarm of large-scale entrepreneurs who are at the time suffocating with the ailing economy, the city which is situated in the lakeshore district of Mangochi is a promise to experience a new breath of commerce as the city is said to be a business hub.

To the people of Mangochi, it is with hope that the city in the making, will transform the district into a market leader when it comes to tourist attraction at district level. And to everyone affected with limited forex which has hit the country, Goshen city will attract a lot of foreign currency as foreigners will flock to the site to appreciate its wonder and all the beauty it has to offer, in the process, increasing the figures in terms of generated forex. The fact that the tourism sector has registered a $4 Million profit for the first time in as many years is testament to the fact that Bushiri’s return to Malawi has led to foreigners visiting Malawi in large numbers to seek his spiritual attention. One wonders of the multitude that Goshen city will attract because even at grassroots stage of construction, the city is already wooing honorable visitors who leave the premises plump with awe.

Regardless of the angle that one picks, Goshen City is a wonderful development that Malawians should welcome at wholesale. But as Michael-Fredrick Paul Sauka writes in the Malawi national anthem that God Should put to bed envy. Being of pure Malawian origin, Sauka is better positioned to spot the envy that Malawians harbor. Worse still, this envy is now blended with dirty politics. It is then with little wonder that Forum for National Development has petitioned the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to investigate the source of funding for Goshen City construction by Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. According to a letter signed by Fryson Chodzi, Bushiri is a fugitive from the law of South Africa where he is accused of money laundering and financial crimes among many other allegations. And in Chodzi’s words, a background of such profile crimes on accusation basis, is a reason enough to investigate the source of funds for any huge investments by Bushiri.

But come to think of it, it is the law in South Africa that accuses Bushiri of being in the wrong doing. Much as the seer is in good books with the law in Malawi, then there is no need for ACB to shoot a development well-wisher in the foot. In fact, Bushiri has no intention of politicizing this development, that is why he keeps engaging government considering that he held a site-inspection exercise at the construction location where the minister of tourism Michael Usi was an invited guest.

If Bushiri is in truth a thief, then he is Robin of the hood to the community of Malawians unlike some untouchable corrupt government officials who develop pot bellies by feeding on tax-payers hard-earned money. If ACB wants to remain relevant, it should focus on bringing to justice the true culprits. ACB should beware of the boiling fury in the streets. And to every enemy of the development of Goshen City, watch out. As the soothsayer in Julius Caesar, let me warn you to beware of the ides of March.

May the good Lord build Goshen City. Unless the Lord builds the house, they who build it labor in vain.