PRIME Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has, through his close confidante Mr Ian Makone, officially invited popular Nigerian televangelist, Prophet TB Joshua to come to Zimbabwe next month, as the desperate MDC-T leader tries to use the prophet to assist him to become the country’s next leader, it has been revealed.

It is understood that Mr Makone wrote a letter to TB Joshua on March 25 2012 inviting him to come and attend the National Day of Prayer slated for May 25 which would be a culmination of the ongoing “prayer” rallies that the PM has been holding around the country. About two weeks ago, the prophet allegedly told his church during a Sunday service that was broadcast on his Emmanuel TV station that he was “headed for a troubled African country.”

However, impeccable immigration authorities told state media yesterday that it was highly unlikely that TB Joshua would be allowed into the country as he is known to use his alleged prophecy to meddle in politics.Speaking to the state media on condition of anonymity for fear of victimization, a top MDC-T official with a strong religious background said Mr Tsvangirai’s obsession with prophets in a bid to enhance his chances of becoming the country’s next leader had reached alarming levels.

“On the 10th of March this year, this was the PM’s birthday and on the 12th of March we held a small birthday party for him. This idea of inviting TB Joshua was mooted during this party and some of us were shocked to discover that on March 25, Makone had written a letter to TB Joshua inviting him to Zimbabwe for the National Day of Prayer. This took some of us by surprise because we never thought the PM could go that far but then Makone runs the PM and all we could do was just to watch. Quite a number of us in the party have our own religious beliefs and I am aware that this TB Joshua invite hasn’t gone down well with many in the party,” said the MDC-T official.

It is understood that in the letter, Mrs Makone went all the way praising the prophet giving the impression that the PM now really believes that only TB Joshua can usher him into power and not the electorate. Reports say Mr Tsvangirai was introduced to the world of prophecy by Mrs Theresa Makone together with Locardia Karimatsenga Tembo, the woman that the PM allegedly “married and later dumped.”

“Theresa and Locardia are the ones who first visited TB Joshua and when they came back they came with bottles of what they were calling ‘holy waters’ to bless the PM’s marriage to Locardia. The PM then went to meet TB Joshua in September 2010 and reports that we have not been able to verify say the PM was told that he would never rule the country. Even some of the PM’s kids went to meet TB Joshua. In the MDC corridors, people are whispering that the PM is now living in captivity of these prophecies. Why does the PM want to bring TB Joshua here if he was told that he will never rule this country? Could he be courting TB Joshua for a re-prophecy? As far as I know prophecy does not work like that. We also wonder why he is resorting to a foreigner like TB Joshua if he needs divine intervention because close home there is Apostle Java, Reverend Chisvo, Reverend Muriritirwa and Reverend Chundu who could have assisted him. Some of these reverends, who have been praying for the PM all this time are not happy that their efforts are not being recognized,” said the official.

The official said after writing the invitation letter to TB Joshua, the PM intensified his prayer rallies in preparation for the coming of the prophet during the National Day of Prayer. Interestingly, most of the prayer rallies are being held in areas that have been hit hard by this year’s drought giving credence to claims that when he comes, TB Joshua will preach more about drought and aid to affected communities.

Reports say the prophet will also speak at length about violence and in recent weeks, the MDC-T has drummed up claims of violence around the country. It is understood that there is a ploy to infiltrate Zanu-PF strongholds, especially in the rural areas using the prayer rallies. While Mr Tsvangirai “seems obsessed” with TB Joshua, in Nigeria the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria has refused to allow him to join their fold.

One of the top pastors in Nigeria, Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Prophet Enoch Adeboye, whose church in Nigeria normally has an overflow of around 250,000 people, even went to the extent of saying he would never worship in TB Joshua’s church. In November 2011, pastors from TB Joshua’s church were caught on camera claiming to have healed people living with HIV and Aids and recommending that they stop taking life-saving anti-retroviral medication. However, this backfired and the victims were later told to continue taking the drugs.