Lucius, Trapence in ‘homophobic, heterophobic’ spat: Catholic bishop praise musician-cum-MP, thumbs down from Malawi gay activist
Musician-cum-politician Lucius Banda on Sunday received rare praise during a Catholic homily in Mangochi for abruptly ending his musical show in the holiday lakeshore district of Mangochi in protest against the kissing of two men on Christmas Day.
Bishop Montfort Sitima of Mangochi diocese said Sunday in church in his homily that many Malawians reject homosexuality only that they do not speak out.
“The government should not sell out our culture and our religion in exchange for money,” said Sitima, indirectly attacking the government for bowing in to pressure by powerful donors of US, United Kingdom and Germany to suspend all gay laws in Malawi.
“The church does not hate the people engaged in homosexuality but their action,” said Sitima.
He is the second catholic bishop to come out in the open to condemn homosexuality after the arrest of two men in Lilongwe a few weeks ago whose charges have since been dropped by the state.
Banda, who is also member of Parliament (MP) for Balaka North (United Democratic Front-UDF), and his Zembani Band were performing at Zitherepano in Mangochi on Christmas day where he suddenly stopped the show having seen two men in the audience kissing.
Writing on his Facebook wall, Lucius, a devoted Catholic, said he is not funded by western donors to make public performances.
Sitima and the church were celebrating family day, a day Catholics celebrate the life of little Jesus, his father Joseph and mother Mary.
The bishop also hailed Dedza east legislator Juliana Lunguzi for coming out in the open to condemn abortion.
He said Malawi was founded on Christian principles and urged the government to declare Malawi a Christian nation, wondering why the declaration is delaying in view of unchristian and alien cultures coming to Malawi.
But the Centre for the Development of People (Cedep), one of the organisations that promotes minority rights, has branded the musician’s comments as homophobic and inciteful
Executive director of Cedep, Gift Trapence said it is unlikely that Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people would be kissing at a concert by Lucius Banda who has been recently expressing hate of gays on social media.
“This was likely staged by people aiming to incite further hatred from him. It is also important to remind Lucius that Malawi is a secular State and everyone is entitled to attend public events in this country. When he says that gays are not allowed at his concerts he should know that such events have no place in this country,” said Trapence.
Trapence said Lucius should also be reminded that he is a secular musician who goes to beer drinking joints to entertain people who include sex workers.
“His shows are attended by different groups of people with different backgrounds and you cannot discriminate or insult such people based on whatever grounds. These are the people and fans that have made you to be a musician who you are now. I think Lucius has seen heterosexuals kissing many times during his shows where lots of things happen. May be it is a high time he considered singing in the church,” said Trapence.
Reacting to Trapence statement, Lucius Banda said: “I am a believer in traditional African values and therefore I have a God given right to comment on contemporary issues affecting Malawians.
“If Trapence has the audacity to call me homophobic I have the right to retort and call Trapence heterophobic. Let him not fool, Malawians that there is global consensus on [LGBTI]”.
Lucius Banda said he has no apologies to make for his anti-gay stand, saying “. I am a firm believer in natural law. By nature, we know that opposites attract. When they do not, something is intrinsically wrong.”
He continued: “As Uhuru Kenyatta said to Obama recently the issue of homosexuality in Africa is a non issue. It must not be used to foster a culture or a philosophy on a people. Let change come originally on this issue not through force and imperial means. In this regard, I propose that Malawi as country seriously considers holding a referendum on this matter to put this issue to rest! I rest my case.”
Malawi suspended enforcement of anti-gay laws, among them Sections 137(a), 153, 154 and 156 of the Penal Code pending a High Court review of their constitutionality, but the process is yet to be concluded.
The country is also a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which guarantees the right to privacy and the right to non-discrimination of all people.
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It’s ironic that much of the homophobia present in Central Africa was brought there by colonial European religion and, more recently, religious fanatics from the USA. In fact, there is no bigger way to give into “western demands” than to hate homosexuals. That pig Pat Robertson funnels money into anti-gay movements in Uganda and he preys on the less-educated. If you REALLY want to stick it to the west, don’t buy their bullshit fascist Christian agenda. The indigenous beliefs of most African nations are more civilized the Christianity or Islam.
Much as I hate gay acts, I believe someone being gay does not affect me in anyway. So I don’t care. Afterall sim’bale wanga and no one will force me to like it. But I think Lucius should not attach his position to acting in line with what the bible teaches. He sings and performs in front of prostitutes, fornicators, drunkards, cashgaters and his dancers showcase high levels of nudity. Kungozisiya zinthuzi zikulire limodzi. Adzaweluza yekha chauta. Tiyeni tilalikire kuti anthu akalowe mu ufumu wakumwamba muchoonadi. Ndi uthenga wachoona munthu akhoza kutembenuka mtima kuphatikiza ma gay. Palibe tchimo lochepa
Even Satan himself trusts in God…only that amafuna kumanhotsusana ndichilichonse chomwe mulungu amapanga….satan is the deviL his works are of the dark…
Bravo mr Banda may God bless you..
Those rejecting homosexuality are fools who do not want to accept change. They believe in living in the dark
Rejecting homosexuality is not judging others, it is following what we as a country agreed and documented in our constitution that we shall do. Everyone on the negative side of the constitution is punished, whether its theft, rape, defilement or homosexuality. Every countries constitution is supreme for that land and no country is entitled to impose their constitution on another country. If there was no constitution the country could be a worst place to live in. Let the whites understand that we don’t force them to adopt our constitution for them to get all the resources they are getting in… Read more »
We need to be very clear about the “rights” of the individual vs the rights of society or the common good. 1. It is the norm to subject the right of the individual to the common good of society. My yardstick is if an individual feels it is his/ her right to steal food because he/she is hungry, would it be helpful to society if everybody stole food whenever they felt hungry? 2. Extend this example to other types of individual behavior, for example, drug abuse, child abuse, domestic violence. 3. Of what benefit is homosexuality to society? The nucleus… Read more »
Sometime back Trapence was asked whether he was gay,as it is believed that he is hay,buy refused say whether he was or not gay. My question is why can’t he take the lead by coming in the open about this gay thing instead of sending the small fish to taste the waters.
We will not sell our culture and religion never,bravo soldier of poor Lucius Banda.No to imperialism and their trying to impose their rubbish cultures.
Only people who are mentally sick advocate for homosexility and are capitalising on the issue to enrich themselves. Bravo Lucius I wished if all the churches had rallied behind to oppose this nonses. Why not open rehabilitation centres or call for Prophet TB Joshua to deliver these people possesed by by demons
IWE GIF OSAPUSITSA ANTHU IWE ULI NACHO CHIMKAZI CHAKO PA DEN NDI ANA ATATU. NDIYE BWANJI IWE UKULIMBIKITSA ZOPUSAZO. UKANAKHALA GAY ANAWO BWENZI ULI NAWO. IWE DAILY UMAPAONA ZOPUSA BASI ANZAKO NDIYE IKHALE YAKUMBUYO OPUSA IWE. AZUNGU AKONSO AJA TIWAUZA KUTI ZA U GAY UMANGONAMIZIRA KUTI ADZIKUPATSA NDALAMA IWE NDI CHIMUNTHU CHA BANJA LAKE.