Rev. Sembereka backs Termination of Pregnancy Bill, insists on respect for minority rights

Executive Board Member for Centre for Development of People (CEDEP) Reverend Macdonald Sembereka has insisted that Malawi needs at all cost to adopt the newly proposed Abortion Laws which he said will greatly assist in reducing cases of maternal deaths.

Sembereka was speaking prior to the March protest against the legalization of Abortion in Malawi as well as issues to do with same sex marriages.

Rev. Sembereka told Nyasa Times on Sunday 27th September 2016 that issues to do with safe abortion require a sober analysis.

“There’s a distortion that where a law admits such then there will be a blanket licence for anyone to undergo such. However, science and evidence has it that many abortions are done unsafely and women’s lives are lost where such could be prevented, as a nation and perhaps
churches aren’t we called to good stewardship and being responsible creators,” Reverend Sembereka said.

He further told Nyasa Times that the effects of unsafe abortion on the mother and child are multiple and it will be suicidal to toe a one sided dogmatism.

Commenting on the issue of same sex marriages, the CEDEP Executive Board Member said the matter to do with same sex marriages or relationships is emotional and there is no need to protest since the affected one’s are already descriminated and that march protest this might just cause more trouble.

“The idea is that these matters [rights of the minority] are very emotive and the populations affected are already discriminated and often times live in fear.

“One would expect that such demonstrations will trigger violence against suspected individuals and blood shed,” he said.

In reference, Sembereka cited an example of two individuals identified as Cuthbeth and Kevin poparly known as ‘Auntie Kel’ who were beaten and severely injured by people who are against the idea of same sex marriages in December last year.

“It must also be noted that Malawi is a secular state and to impose ones beliefs based on ones religious values is a violation of such” said Reverend Sembereka.

He made the sentiments following a dicision by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) and Evangelical Association Malawi (EAM) to hold a march protests against the adoption of the newly drafted abortion laws and same sex marriages.

Several groups fighting for rights of the minority including CEDEP, MANERELA+ and CHRR says the faith community has no mandate to dictate the feelings of everyone since Malawi is a secular state.

CEDEP has been carrying out a number of projects in trying to bring awareness to the masses on issues to do with same sex marriages.

One of the projects is Finish Project Access to Justice which targeted the Justice Delivery System.