Religious Aids body bemoans homophobia in Malawi: It’s ungodly

A religious Aids organisation has slammed spiritual leaders for hate speech against gays in Malawi, saying this is against Biblical teachings.

Manarela executive director Bruce Tushave said for two to three weeks running, religious leaders have been making homophobic speeches against gays.

“This is wrong. There is no where in the world where gays are killed. There is no religion in the world that preaches the killing of gays, what the religious leaders and some individuals are doing by promoting the hate speech against the gays is infringement of human rights,” he said.

Religious leaders, including Catholic bishops, have asked the government not to bow down to donor demand to legalise homosexuality.

They say the government should not be desperate because of donor money, saying Malawi would rather be poor than embrace homosexuality which they described as an abomination in the Bible.

Synod of Livingstonia general secretary Reverend Levi Nyondo has  said  President Peter Mutharika should know that homosexuality is 100 percent sin.

“The Bible is above human rights. It is better donors should stop and Malawians should die with Jesus while poor. The synod is crying for our country,” said Nyondo at the funeral of first female member of Cabinet Rose Chibambo last Saturday.

However, the Manerela boss said this was all wrong.

“Religious leaders have no powers to judge a person over sin. It is only God that can pronounce a person sinful. What the religious leaders are doing is sinful,” he said.

Centre for the Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence said Malawi is a secular State and religious beliefs and culture should not be used as catalysts for oppressing others, especially gays.

This is the first time that a religious body has criticised church clerics as the issue of gays gets heated up.

According to Presidential press secretary  Gerald Viola and Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango,  President Mutharika will let Malawian decide on whether homosexuality should be legalised.