Killing gays in Malawi will be tolerated, fears UN

International civil service, the United Nations says it is concerned with Malawi government decision to withdrawal a case against People’s Party  (PP) publicist Ken Msonda who was charged with an offence of inciting people to kill gays.

In a statement which has been released and signed by the Spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights,Rupert Colville, says the discontinuance of the case sends a bad message to the society that killing gays is legal in Malawi.

Msonda was  charged under section 124(1)(b) of the Penal Code, which makes it a criminal offence to incite others to break the law after a criminal case was initiated by two civil society organizations Centre for Develop to People (Cedep) and Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation ( CHRR).

Director of public prosecutions Mary Kachale said she would not reveal reasons for the discontinuance of the case until she faces the Legal Affairs Committee of parliament on Tuesday.

On his Facebook wall, Msonda said it was God who fought his legal battle but is unrepetentant over his remarks and shows no remorse. 7

Timothy Mtambo, executive director of Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation, one of the people who sued Msonda said he was disappointed with the move by the state to discontinue the case.

“We wanted the courts to interpret Mr Msonda’s remarks. With the discontinuance of the case, people might think it is legal to kill gays. Right to life must be respected as enshrined in the Constitution. What Mr Msonda is saying has no basis even in the Biblical world,” Mtambo said.

He said it is high time the government condemned the remarks by Msonda.

Religious people, including the biggest church in Malawi, the Catholic church have asked President Peter Mutharika not to legalise homosexuality.

The UN further says  Malawi has a responsibility, enshrined in international human rights law, to protect all individuals from hatred and violence based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, and to hold to account anyone who either engages in such violence or incites others to do so. 7

And they have since urged the Government to meet its responsibilities in this regard and protect all individuals from hatred and violence based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.