Lunguzi assures Malawi Parliament will protect life against death culture

Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Health Juliana Lunguzi  has assured the faith organisations and citizens who took part in the pro-life march on Tuesday and petitioned  parliament against backing government bid to legalise abortion and

homosexuality.

Lunguzi,  who is also Dedza East MP  (Malawi Congress Party-MCP), received the petition on behalf of Parliament, and  was flanked by Members of Parliament to meet the marchers at the parliament building in Lilongwe.

The marchers cheered  MCP president and leader of opposition Lazarus Chakwera led the group who included Peoples Party’s Uladi Mussa, DPP’s deputy Secretary General Cecelia Chazama  and the UDF Chief Whip in Parliament Lillian Patel, among others to meet them.

“As chairperson of your Health Committee in Parliament, a Catholic Christian, as fellow Malawian myself, as a midwife, as a Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) expert myself, and most importantly as a woman, I couldn’t be in a more challenging position because of the emotive nature of the topic of the right to life which is one of the main purposes of this march,” said Lunguzi.

“But we would be failing in our duty if we closed our ears and turned our backs to such voices and challenging situations. We would like to believe that we are equal to the challenge, I know I am.

“ I believe that we are a nation capable of doing great things coming up with practical solutions to our most pressing problems, only if every citizen plays his or her rightful part,” Lunguzi added.

Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) of the Catholic Church  secretary general Rev Fr Henry Saindi said they expecte  Parliamentariansto back family life and reject any attempts to legalise homosexuality or abortion.

He said legalising the two “twin-evils” could have “unintended consequences”.

However, government spokesman Malison Ndau has categorically rejcted totally incorrect reports that there is an Abortion Bill ready for debate in the National Assembly.

“The truth of the matter of the matter is that the Law Commission has developed a Report and new recommendations to government to adopt a new law on abortion. Therefore any information that there is a ready Bill on the same is misleading.” Ndau said in a statement made available to Nyasa Times.

But the faith groups said the Termination of Pregninacy Bill is in the pipeline.