•THE Hiace minibus which overturned on the Ndola-Kitwe Road killing two people, one of them being renowned Kitwe Prophet Emmanuel Nyirongo (inset). Picture by MILDRED KATONGO
By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA and MILDRED KATONGO –
RENOWNED prophet Emmanuel Nyirongo of Kitwe, who was recently in the limelight for turning water into paraffin, has died in a road traffic accident.
The accident happened on the Ndola-Kitwe dual carriage way near Baluba area yesterday morning.
Other passengers on board the Toyota Hiace minibus sustained injuries and are receiving treatment.
Police and Prophetic Faith Missions Church officials confirmed the death of Prophet Nyirongo and another one. They were travelling from Lusaka to Kitwe.
Copperbelt Police Commissioner Joyce Kasosa identified the other victim as Stanely Mulumba who sustained head injuries and died upon arrival at Wusakile Mine Hospital.
Ms Kasosa said the accident happened as a result of speeding.
“The accident involved two male passengers, namely, Prophet Nyirongo and Mulumba who died upon arrival at Wusakile Mine Hospital. The Toyota Hiace registration number ADD 5626 overturned near Fred area along the Ndola-Kitwe Road. This was due to speeding,” she said.
Ms Kasosa said the driver was not identified and investigations had been launched.
Prophetic Faith Mission Church vice-chairperson Ellison Sakala said Prophet Nyirongo, 30, was together with his crew coming from Lusaka where they had gone for a conference and an overnight prayer session.
Mr Sakala described the death of the two as a huge blow to the church and the members.
He said the church was devastated and that the deceased members were pillars of the church.
Prophet Nyirongo started singing in 2004 before deciding to open his own church in Kitwe.
He is behind the gospel hit song, ‘Kutali mwamfunya’.
Meanwhile, church service at Prophet Nyirongo’s church was disrupted after news of his death filtered through with several members found seated outside the church as furniture from the building was being taken to the funeral house following the suspension of the service.
Prophet Nyirongo ran a weekly Christian programme on ZNBC TV1 called ‘30 minutes of power with Prophet Emmanuel Nyirongo’.
