A HARARE evangelist was given a rock star welcome in Gweru after stopping at a fast food outlet in his US$200,000 Bentley.
But Eubert Angel, the founder of the Spirit Ministries Church, left Chicken Inn still hungry after fleeing a throng of “fans” who descended on the restaurant, a newspaper reported.
The bizarre scenes reveal how Zimbabweans – especially the poor – are increasingly enthralled by the sight of the crusading prosperity gospel preachers like Angel who now compete with celebrities for public adulation.
The Bulawayo Chronicle reports that Angel, who was on a road trip to Botswana, stopped at the restaurant driving alone in the Bentley while four bodyguards drove behind in a Lexus IS sports car.
“They had to dash into their vehicles and flee, leaving their food which was still being prepared after members of the public swarmed the food outlet and started jostling to greet the Harare-based preacher-cum prophet,” the Chronicle reported.
Angel and his body guards left the restaurant on Main Street and drove to Sixth Street “as the crowd chased after the two vehicles”.
“They then stopped their car at corner Lobengula Avenue and Sixth Avenue where Prophet Angel took about five minutes greeting a handful of determined individuals before driving along the Gweru-Bulawayo Road,” the report added.
The Chronicle says those who managed to “evade the human wall made by Prophet Angel’s bodyguards” – mostly men – “would kneel on the tarmac before greeting him”.
One man, after shaking hands with Angel, is reported to have said he felt “blessed”.
Another, described as being “in a trance” soon after shaking hands with Angel, declared: “I am now a new man.”
One of Angel’s bodyguards said: “We left the food because of the commotion as people wanted to greet the prophet soon after they identified him.
“We are on our way to Botswana and we will try getting food in Bulawayo.”