Pastor Salanje wants Malawi to allow same-sex unions

South African based controversial Malawian Pastor, Hastings Salanje, who brags of his wealth says Malawi  should not dismiss out-of-hand homosexuality and has called upon government to consider legalising same-sex unions in the country.

Salanje wants leaders to “look into” the issue and to scrutinise the reasons why many countries have legalised same-sex marriages.

He however asked the minority gay community not to infringe the rights of others by respecting the culture of most Malawians who culturally and spiritually do not support same sex marriage.

” I would like to ask Malawian leaders and African leaders to consider homosexuality, but draft an agreement which will be sourced from all cultural groups, all churches, religion leaders , parties, and etc, so that homosexuality can be legalised in the manner that will not infringe the rights, cultural practices and the health of others,” said Salanje in a statement.

“Homosexuality must not be imposed or forced on other citizens, groups and individuals. Let those who want to practice homosexuality to practice by not disturbing other people’s feelings,” added Salanje.

He said it’s high time that men of God should respect the rules of law and separate Church commandments and human rights issues.

“Well this is a tough issue to deal with all over the world, and I know my answer will confuse the spiritually and philosophically immature people, but the truth has to be told,” he said

“When I check in Bible, homosexuality is sin before God so is womanising and manising. To God sin is sin, When God looks at homosexuality is bad and disgusting as the same as when someone is sleeping with the person who is not his wife or her husband. To God the homosexuality, the womaniser and the maniser fall in the same category. There are no two hells, hell is hell, there is no hell for homosexuality and another hell for an womaniser,” he said

Despite saying culturally homosexuality is disgusting Salanje called upon fellow pastors to remember that running a country is not the same way they can run a church.

“A country belongs to everybody, it belongs to homosexuality, to all the saints and all the sinners. And a country must be a place where everybody can feel comfortable and at home.

“ Legalization of homosexuality is not a problem but how you legalise it, can be a problem. If you can legalise it in the way that it can infringe the rights of others, then is a big problem,” said Salanje

Meanwhile, Malawi has suspended laws against same-sex relationships pending a decision on whether to repeal the legislation, the justice minister Samuel Tembenu said.

Police have been ordered not to arrest or prosecute homosexuals, At present, homosexual acts carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail