Malawi flood victims protest sex ban among married couples in camps

Married people who are camping at Mchenga Camp in Malawi’s southern district of Chikwawa are protesting the decision by chiefs whose villages are camping there to ban any sexual engagement between married people within the camp’s premises.

The concerns mostly from married men say the ban has put them at the risk of contracting HIV/AIDS because this would force men start looking for other women somewhere to sleep with.

A married man who declined to reveal his name for fear of reprisals said it is very unfortunate for the chiefs to ban ‘legal sex’ around the camp.

“The issue is that some of us have been seeing our wives right here upon proper arrangements with elder women they sleep with in tents. We would sometimes sneak into their tents during day times when most of the people go away for piece works. There was no problem. Everything was done normally,” he told Nyasa Times.

He said it is inhuman to think that married men can stay three months without sex while they see their wives every day. He asked the chiefs to reconsider their decision.

However, village headman Kusowa told Nyasa Times said the ban is aimed at enhancing sanity and discipline at the camp.

“Yes we have announced that ban because we don’t want to see men inconveniencing other women just because they want to have sex with their wives. No man should be seen in women’s tents for sex. That’s what we have been saying,” he said.

He also says he wonders why men should protest the ban because some men live three to four year in Johannesburg without sleeping with their wives back home.

“And what is the problem with having a three-month break. They will do it after they return to their respective homes,” he said.

He, however, said some organizations have been distributing condoms to the floods affected people at the camp which is a temporary home for over 600 people from ten villages.

“We don’t have problems with condoms because this is another way of preventing the spread of HIV but we can’t allow them to be used around the camp,” he said.