Christian group demand action on pornography

Kachitsa: Her nude picture circulated

A Christian Youth Association of Malawi (CYAMA) based in Lilongwe has asked government to ensure people involved in the pornographic materials in the country should face the due process of the law. 

CYAMA said in a media statement that the organisation held a meeting of Christian youth leaders in Lilongwe where members noted with great concern the rising pornography circulating both on the internet and on the market in Malawi. 

“CYAMA asks the Malawi Government through its law enforcers to track down and put to justice all involved in perpetrating pornography,” said the statement co-signed by chairperson Noel Kapheni and its publicist Ernest Makanda.    

“CYAMA also asks the law enforcers to confiscate all pornographic materials on the market,” appealed the youth body. 

The craze for pornography was heightened when Grey Nkungula, General Manager of Malawi Switch Centre (Malswitch) - an affiliate of the central bank, the Reserve Bank of Malawi - and Tapiwa Msisha, wife of prominent lawyer were arrested for acting in pornographic materials, which were widely circulated causing a social scandal. 

Dorothy Kachitsa, a reporter at state run MBC radio, also had her nude photo circulated generating media headlines. Kachitsa had revealed to the police that one of the editors of the Hansard at Parliament, Ian Mwenye, was the one who took the pictures. 

Mwenye, who is married, reportedly accepted taking the pictures although he denied distributing them on the Internet. There has since been no progress on both cases. 

The Christian youth organisation statement said pornography is a form of “moral corruption” that has adverse effects on the youth.

“Among others, pornography has great potential for sexual stimulation which can lead to pre-marital sex and result in early pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted illnesses and HIV, the virus that causes deadly AIDS. 

“Indeed, pornography causes sexual immorality by weakening the eyes, which according to scriptures are the windows of the soul. Whatever we feed our eyes on sticks in our minds. And what we think is what we become,” a statement from the Christian youth group said. 

CYAMA said it has been perturbed to observe that some of the people alleged to be involved in this shameful practice are Church goers, some with leadership positions.  

“CYAMA condemns in strongest terms the individuals or organizations and networks that are perpetuating pornography by acting, filming or distributing pornographic material in any form of media,” said the statement.  

Furthermore, CYAMA is appealing to religious leaders and youth leaders to advise the youth and all the faithful to say no to pornography.  

“Church leaders should also dedicate special prayer services against pornography in order to seek divine intervention against the malpractice."

CYAMA also asks parents to guard their children against watching pornography at home. Head teachers of boarding schools are also called upon to do everything possible to ensure that students are not exposed to pornographic material.