Malawi is secular State not Christian nation: Activists say homophobia unacceptable

Malawi is a secular state  and not a Christian nation and as such it does not criminalize anything on the basis that it is a sin, activist have said in the light of the denouncement by some religious leaders are now denouncing a government moratorium on anti-homosexual laws pending a decision on whether to repeal the legislation.

Trapence: Malawi is a secular state
Trapence: Malawi is a secular state

Justice Minister Samuel Tembenu announced that a review of all colonial-area sodomy laws will be launched in consultation with the people of Malawi.

But already some faith leaders are not happy with the decision and have asked the government not to relent to pressure from Western donors by allowing same-sex relationships.

“It is disgusting that a nation can succumb to dictates of the donors and, in the process, lose our identity, our spiritual track and our tradition,” said Reverend Maurice Munthali, spokesman for the Presbyterian Church in Livingstonia.

And Young Pastors Coalition of Malawi (YPCM) wants government to re-arrest Cuthbert Kulemeka and Kelvin Gomani who are suspected to be homosexuals and were recently freed.

The pastors’ grouping said homosexuals’ rights should not be given room in Malawi and its national director Patrick Banda said the religious leaders will take unspecified action if charges for two men of having sex “against the order of nature” are not restored.

A born-again Christian and politician Ken Msonda also called for gays to be killed.

But Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence has condemned calls for jungle justice against gays, saying Malawi is a secular State where religious beliefs and culture should not be used as basis for oppressing others.

He said rights of homosexuals have to be respected and that Christianity should not be misused as an excuse for homophobia

Malawian human rights activist Billy Mayaya said government is on the “right track” to suspend anti-homosexuality law but said the public needs to be sensitised “to understand the secular nature of our country.”

Mayaya said: “Many people here thought Malawi is a Christian country which is not true, we are a secular state.”

Billy Banda, director of Malawi Watch, a local good governance group, accused the government of making a rushed decision, explaining that it would have been more appropriate, to push for an emergency session of parliament to decide the anti-homosexuality law once and for all.

“It is unfair and very unfair,” he said. “When we are talking about human rights, we are not talking about [a] minority. There are majority rights as well. So what we are asking now is government must rescind that moratorium. It is un-cultural.”

But government fears the  activist are misinterpreting secular status of Malawi and seeks to redefine it to advance an anti-religious agenda.

Christians also claim their rights to freedom of religious conscience have been steadily subordinated to the rights – especially of homosexual people – to equality.

Rights are a matter of balance – the exercise of one person’s rights can undermine those of another.

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HERMAN DAUNCY SHABA
HERMAN DAUNCY SHABA
8 years ago

WHERE WAS HOMOSEXUAL AT THE TIME OF JOHN CHILEMBWE? IN 1964? IN 1994? WAS MALAWI SECULAR AT THAT TIME? WHY NOW? WHERE IS THE VALUE OF OUR CULTURE? EVEN IF YOU ARE A LAWYER DON’T FORGET YOUR CULTURE THAT BROUGHT YOU UP TO THAT STAGE. DOES HOMOSEXUAL HAVE GENERATION TO DEPEND ON? CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT CULTURE CHANGE!

Kunta
Kunta
8 years ago

Then we need a referendum to decide whether to make Malawi a christian state or not.

Joseph Moyo
8 years ago

It is true that Malawi is secular state if it were not it could not b rated as one of the most corrupted nations in the world.If we go by the bible God’s people are known the way they act or behave.Do Malawians behave like God’s people?
Akaz Mumavala ma trouser muliphee mumavala zazifupi muli duuu u secular upose pamenepa?INU mukuziti ma pastor nu tchimo liti lomwe asogoleli a mipingo amaopa pot kuli church gate nso?Ine ndzakumvesesan ngat inuyo Mukhale ngat Lot nthawi ya sodom ndi Gomora.Iwo sadali muzomwe adali ena koma kunoko aa ndakaika

La 40 Lakwana
La 40 Lakwana
8 years ago

Zambia is the only Christion state in Africa

Nathan
8 years ago

Is it a right to have mathayula? Ngati muvomereze mathanyula, basi kuba, rape ndi zina zotele muvomerezenso! Abale, mathanyula ndi chikhalidwe choipa cha azungu, osamangotengela zilizonse za azungu. Kodi makolo anu akanakhala a mathanyula, mukanakhalako inu? Mathanyula retards the growth of population, therefore it is the number one enemy of our country. SAY NO TO MATHANYULA!

kenkkk
kenkkk
8 years ago

Imran sadick, what a joker you are. Day light lies,Muslims are just a tiny drop in Malawi, my friend. I don’t know who gave such statistics or you just cooked them yourself. Having said that those figures are very good for cheating arabs in the middle east to send you more money for Islamic expansion in Malawi while at the same time cashgating it. We christians see all that.

witness phiri
witness phiri
8 years ago

Oh Oh, zoophsya zedi, Ndinkaona ngati anthu onse ophunzira ndi anzeru!
But some have just shown that ndi mabulutu ophunzira hahahahahahaha!!!!!
Funso labwino zedi, Kodi mbuya trapenzi, if your Father was gay, munakabadwa?
If the answer is yes, then continue fighting for gay rights, but if it’s no, DZISIYENI musadzikokenso nkhani zopanda pake zo gay zo.
Shameeeeeee on you!!!!!!!

kanyumba
8 years ago

I don’t want to hire about this! Mathanyula nonse ndi zitsilu mmitu mwanu@olo agogo anu akadapanga zimenezo inu mukanabadwa.

Wachimalawi
Wachimalawi
8 years ago

We don’t want mathanyula here in Malawi, go to Western countries if you wish. Every body can claim minority right even the thieves wants their right, so why not support them since they are also a minority. Go to hell with your stupid rights. If your dad was a gay unakabadwa? Don’t be selfish, with or without christianity Malawian can not allow that. Shame on you useless people in the world. You deserve to be stoned to death.

Khalakpo
Khalakpo
8 years ago

Iwe osakwatira mwamuna mzako bwanji

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