A Zimbabwean pastor, Bekezela Nkomo, who heads the Bread of Life Christian Church in Gaborone, Botswana, was on Tuesday deported from that country.
The pastor, who is the son of the late nationalist Joshua Nkomo’s brother Edward, was deported under unclear circumstances.
His deportation came after that country’s Home Affairs ministry declined his request to have his residence and work permits extended. Nkomo, a former lecturer at Gweru Teachers’ College, had been staying in Botswana for the past 19 years.
Botswana’s Gaborone-based community radio station, Gabz Fm reported on its website yesterday that Nkomo was deported on Tuesday after that country’s Home Affairs officials refused to extend his work and residence permits.
“From 1988 to 1992 he regularly visited Francistown in Botswana where he was preaching as a youth pastor where the church in Botswana identified him. In Zimbabwe he started preaching in schools,” reported Gabz FM.
In 1993, through the help of a few brethren in the Church, he was able to register the Family of God.
“Bread of Life Christian Church International was born 15 April 2008, having operated as Living Christ Church since 2004,” Gabz Fm reported.
In 2009 Pastor Nkomo handed the baton of leading Bread of Life Christian Church to Bishop Owen Issacs, who then took over in June 14. Nkomo could not be reached for comment yesterday.
