He is fondly known as ‘The Bulldozer!’
Boniface Mwamposa, the Prophet behind the Dar-es-salaam based Arise and Shine Ministry remains the most popular and highly influential person in Tanzania even as the country starts another New Year 2025.
Operating from the Tanganyika Packers grounds in the Kawe section of Dar-es-salaam, Mwamposa has been the most prevalent personality in Tanzania for over six consecutive years now, with his prominence transcending the country borders and overflowing into Kenya, Burundi, Rwanda and DR Congo.
During the New Year eve, He single handedly gathered more than 300,000 people for vigil prayers at the open-air grounds in Kawe, as a million others around the globe followed the event through live streaming platforms including YouTube, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram and even Twitter.
Mwamposa is famous for Miracles, at least according to people who attend his regular sermon meetings in Dar-es-salaam as well as those turning up for the prophet’s live crusades during his cross-country tours.
Many confess to be healed through his prayers, others saving their jobs while there are also who vows to have escaped court cases due to Mwamposa’s miracle touch.
In previous years, Mwamposa has also been ministering live in Arusha, Dodoma, Moshi, Kigoma, Mwanza, Morogoro, Mbeya and Kagera during his missions to those regions.
And on estimates in each and in each and every open-air meeting, more than 100,000 people have been turning up per crusade. The Bulldozer is really landsliding the ground.
Whatever the prophet does, it gets broadcasted live and in real time throughout the country via more than ten radio and television stations as well as social media platforms.
So far no politician, leader, entertainer or similar preacher can attract even a 1 percent of the number of people that Boniface Mwamposa commands at a single wave of his hand.
In fact, a number of government officials in Tanzania have been striving to visit his church and be photographed with the prophet as a means to boost their own popularity.
And with the country heading towards the forthcoming General Elections in October 2025, there is big chance that Prophet Boniface Mwamposa, the Bulldozer, will play an important denominational role in the process.
Hailing from Mbeya Region in Tanzania’s Southern Highlands, Mwamposa is also the source of heated debates and discussions in streets, social media groups, commuter bus passengers and even neighborhood inspiring mixed reactions and serious arguments.
But the popular prophet seems to have as many enemies as his supporters, judging by reactions from members of the public and posts placed on social media platforms.
Being essentially a Christian oriented ​gospel minister, Mwamposa gatherings are however home to followers of other religions including Islam, Hindi traditional beliefs who attend the prayer meetings under his prefecture to receive miracles and healings.
It is believed that the anointing oils and bottled waters from his altar can heal various ailments in addition to being touched by the prophet himself.
So popular are his gatherings such that one of them held in Moshi, Kilimanjaro in 2020 resorted in a stampede which killed more than 20 people as they scrambled for the prophet’s anointing oil.
Previously Tanzania boasted other gospel based famous personalities such as Bishop Josephat Gwajima of Dar-es-salaam, who later became Member of Parliament, Prophet Geor Davie Kasambale of ‘Ngurumo ya Upako’ ministries in Arusha and Christopher Mwakasege who heads the ‘Mana’ Ministry also in Arusha as well as Zacharia Kakobe of Full Gospel at Mwenge in Dar-es-salaam.
These are all still practicing, famous, rich and also command great following but not as popular nationally as Boniface Mwamposa.