Karonga DEC snub Kyungu, vow to protect homosexual rights as Malawi NGO launches access to justice’ project

The District Executive Committee (DEC) members in Karonga the northern part of Malawi, have snubbed Paramount Chief Kyungu’s order of not allowing the rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) in his area.

In February this year, Kyungu who is the most senior chief of Karonga and Chitipa denounced the rights of LGBTI in both districts claiming it is evil and unacceptable.

Kyungu further instructed his subjects to desist entertaining LGBTI advocators in the areas while threatened to chase out any one found promoting gays and lesbians.

But Karonga District Executive Committee (DEC) members a group that consist of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government officials in the district, on Friday vowed o protect the LGBTI rights.

The members made the call y during the meeting organized by the Center for the Development for People (CEDEP) in the district.

According to the members, despite no LGBTI have been identified in the district it is important to start giving them a good environment.

“We don’t see any problem to protect the rights of gays and lesbians, because they are also enjoying their constitutional rights,” they said.

However, the deputy board chair of CEDEP Rev. Macdonald Sembereka disclosed that the district has number of LGBTI people hence the meeting.

“We decide to hold the meeting here because our research has shown that the district has number of gays and lesbians.  It has also been revealed that these people are not enjoying their rights as they are afraid of the surround community,” disclosed Sembereka.

“But what you have to know is that the country’s constitution legalized LGBTI and that they are supposed to treated equally,” he added.

In his remarks, Darlington Akambedi who is the senior superintendent in the Malawi Police said the law does not allow them to arrest gays or lesbians but to protect them.