Mutharika seeks ‘divine intervention’ over political crisis

Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika has indicated that the unstable political situation in the country requires the seeking of divine intervention and has asked Malawians to dedicate July 15 as a national day of prayers.

In a speech to the nation, to mark the country’s 43rd independence anniversary, President Mutharika asked leaders of inter-faith groups and all citizens to pray to God to save the country from plunging into turmoil.

President Mutharika then declared that while Christians go to church on Saturday and Sunday which are not working days, Fridays should be holiday for Muslims from noon to allow them attend mosque prayers.

“All of you in the government must honour this announcement so that our brothers and sisters in the Muslim community pray freely,” the 73-year-old Mutharika told an independence celebration gathering in commercial city of Blantyre.

The remarks were coming amidst very serious political problems dogging the country over Section 65 as the President has made scathing attacks on the Supreme Court which ruled to validate the constitutional provision that will see the collapse of Mutharika’s minority government.

He has also accused his predecessor, Dr Bakili Muluzi now national chairman of opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) of “masterminding” the plot to unseat him.

Parliament was last week forced to adjourn sine-die on rows over the section which opposition leaders wanted the Speaker of Parliament to affect.

But in his 25 minutes speech today, President Mutharika was in appealing mood to the majority opposition block in parliament to approve the national budget.