President Professor Peter Mutharika has called upon all Malawians to dedicate time on Thursday, 2nd April 2020 to pray to God in their homes as Malawi faces the threat of Coronavirus which has gripped the world.

According to a statement issued by the State House Press Office, Professor Mutharika says it has been the country’s tradition as a God-fearing nation to combine human efforts with seeking intervention from God to rescue us whenever disaster strikes.

The President says the nation turns to God since it understands the Power of God over every situation we may experience as a nation while understanding our own limitations.

The statement refers to both the Bible and Quoran where the Almighty Lord reminds us that he will hear our prayers and give us protection. The statement draws the country’s attention to the Bible in 1st John 5 verses 14 to 15 which says
“And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.”

While on the other hand the Quoran Chapter 2 Verse 107 says:-
“Do you not know that to God belongs the dominion of the heavens and earth and (that) you have not besides God any protector or any helper?”

President Mutharika therefore calls upon all Malawians that we should humble ourselves before God and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways so that he can heal our land.

On this note, the President thanked all Malawians for cooperating with the Government this far in implementing the measures it has put in place to fight Corona virus saying to this date Malawi has not registered a case of Corona virus.

The President has since urged all Malawians to continue observing the measures against the Coronavirus threat.

President Mutharika then reminded all Malawians that he is calling for prayers within homes as the nation is still being discouraged from assembling in large numbers as one way of preventing the disease from spreading.

Lilongwe City Council (LCC) has stepped up measures in protecting Lilongwe City markets from Coronavirus by disinfecting Tsoka Flea Market in the city on Sunday.

Earlier on the council shutdown gates leading to the two markets on Sunday as the council was about to disinfect the markets.

LCC Spokesperson, Tamara Chafunya said they have introduced the system so that everyone should be free from the deadly virus, especially the market users.

“As one way of safeguarding our markets, we have introduced this system so that we can disinfect the markets with chemicals that will protect the markets from Coronavirus.

“We believe the lives of people are more important than money itself and a place like a market accommodates a lot of people, as such we closed the markets yesterday so that we can get them disinfected,” she said.

Chafunya said following the state of disaster declared by the country’s State President, the city council has decided to disinfect each and every market within the city on Sundays so that they should be free from the virus.

However, Chafunya did not disclose the next market or other markets to be disinfected but rather said the next day after the disinfection it would be usual business for the market.

One of the vendors at Tsoka Market, Benson Phiri said his business was affected on Sunday following the market closure but said he was not worried much for he believed what the city council did was the right thing.

“We are happy with what the city council has introduced. Getting our markets disinfected will help us to be conducting our day to day activities in the market with confidence knowing that we are free from the pandemic,” she said.

The city’s PRO further assured the public that the city’s next step will be to focus on spacing in the market, but now the local council wants to ensure its markets are disinfected regularly.