Malawi Gays seek audience with President

Malawi President: To host gay action at State House

The Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim) will have an audience with President Bingu Mutharika, Nyasa Times has learnt.

Magrim officials confirmed seeking audience with the Head of State and that the President “was pleased to host them”. 

However Magrim chairperson only identified as Mc Leod said the meeting which was expected for today [October 10] has been rescheduled to later date as the President was attending a funeral of his relation in Blantyre. 

The homosexuals have been invited to the State House following their offer of K10 million in campaign funds for aspiring Members of Parliament (MPs) who accept to propagate their interests in the next parliament. 

President Mutharika has been lauded by Malawi homosexuals for giving them “moral support” to exist. 

The gays association announced that it has managed to source funds for the 2009 elections campaign and that only those aspiring MPs who promise to support gay rights in Malawi would benefit from the “Gay Rights Fund”. 

Magrin said they would also donate funds to a presidential candidate who has their interest at heart. 

“Malawi Gays association is behind the presidential candidacy of the incumbent [Bingu Mutharika] because we have managed to launch successfully under his leadership,” said Magrin spokesperson.

Malawi hold presidential and legislative elections on May 19, 2009, a development Magrin says it wants to utilise.

On sponsoring parliamentary candidate, Mc Leod explained: "What will happen is that these people, who accept to propagate issues affecting gays in Malawi once elected, will be taken to our [gay] lawyers where we will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) so that they don't cheat us in the end because the money we are putting in is too much to play a losing game". 

The Magrim chairperson cited assertions by some members of the public that all those fighting for gay rights in Malawi be dealt with, by hook or crook, a development he termed as worrisome and against the principals of human rights. 

Said he: "We are Malawians, this is our country, and, apart from it, we have nowhere to live. Why are some ill-informed individuals worried about something that does not concern them; it is very unfair to us. All we want is love and peaceful co-existence because we did not wish to be gays, it is natural. While others may claim to be gays as a means of showing off, to most of us it is natural, like heterosexuality, and we are happy to be what we are.” 

He said their launch in Blantyre recently was graced by an equally good number of women, hinting that, in two years time, gay rights will have been taken as a very crucial component of human rights. 

"Gay rights are human rights, and people must come to terms with that fact. Whether one likes it or not, we have homosexuals in Malawi, and these people are now ready to stand for their rights,” he said. 

He said the gay organisation is growing and getting more accepted by Malawian society. 

"W e plan to establish branches, so that we reach as many people as possible. I tell you, Malawi has a lot of gay people who have remained oppressed over the years by outdated laws but are now ready to stand up for their rights. Suppressing us is like imposing a new form of colonialism," said Mc Leod. 

He disclosed that they will soon be receiving a foreign delegation for an orientation on effective advocacy campaigns, a development he said will empower them to scale up their activities for gay people to be able to contribute towards sustainable, social-economic development. 

Malawi laws criminalise same sex marriages.