Malawian president Mutharika orders 3-day 'prayers for rain'

06:49 - 27 October 2018

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The president also directed cabinet ministers and government officials to lead prayers at the nearest congregation near them, a statement signed the Chief Secretary to the Government Lloyd.A. Muhara said.

Malawian President Peter Mutharika has ordered citizens to embark on a three-day prayers for rain.

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In January this year, Mutharika made a similar order after a dry spell and worsening pest infestation threatened the country's staple maize crop.

Malawi is periodically hit by food shortages as the tropical southern African country relies heavily on rain-fed agriculture and most of its maize is grown on small plots by subsistence farmers.

The current dry spell has been exacerbated by an outbreak of crop-munching fall armyworms, a pest from Latin America that first threatened African crops late in 2016.