Same sex marriages to be decided by Malawi citizens — Chakwera
Presidential press secretary Brian Banda has said President Lazarus Chakwera has no clear stand on legalization of same-sex marriages and has left the issue to the country’s citizens to determine whether to legalise it or not.
Banda also told the media during the Weekly Brief at Sanjika Palace in Blantyre on Mondaythat the issue was same-sex marriages was an outstanding point of debate and would leave it to Malawians to decide on how the country should handle the matter.
“What we need to do is to discuss as a country on the way forward. What is it that we want? We should not leave this issue to the President alone to decide, “ said Banda as he was responding to a question from a journalist on the matter.
He said President Chakwera, an ordained pastor, was ready to listen to diverse opinions on the contentious issue from both in support or against the legalisation for the country to find a position on how to deal with it.
However, while welcoming the idea, Human Rights Defenders Coalition (HRDC) National Coordinator Luke Tembo, argues that the President has to provide leadership in terms of how the issue should be handled.
A network of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in Malawi argue that the law should allow same-sex marriages, and, more generally, that marriage should be available to couples regardless of their genders.
“Put simply, equality means making the same choices available to all and thats prospering together,” said a member of the LGBT organisation in Malawi.
Eric Sambisa, founder of LGBT+ rights group the Nyasa Rainbow Alliance said they will be ready to launch an Equality Campaign for the introduction of same-sex marriage to help reduce all forms of prejudice against LGBT people.
“Same-sex marriages will show that Malawi is ready to embrace of diversity, equality, freedom, tolerance, respect, dignity and fairness,” said Sambisa.
He said the introduction of same-sex marriage will enhance the safety, self-esteem, health and wellbeing of LGBT people in Malawi.
According to a research which was conducted by the South Africa-based LGBT+ rights group The Other Foundation, nearly all Malawians think LGBT+ human rights should be protected, yet the same number could not accept a gay or lesbian family member.
Malawi criminalizes same-sex conduct, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) people often face violence, threats and discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch, a global rights group.
“For example, 80% believe that homosexual sex is wrong, but one in three believe God loves people in same-sex relationships,” said Alan Msosa, lead researcher and an academic with the University of Bergen in Norway.
“When we unpacked certain words using local languages, such as using ‘justice, fairness and inclusion’ over ‘human rights,’ we found that people were more tolerant in their views,” Msosa said in quotes reported by Reuters.
Researchers surveyed 1,300 Malawians in-person, and the questions were answered anonymously and explained in local languages, he said.
Prior to this study, there was little data on the views of Malawian society and size of the LGBT+ community, said Jessie Kabwila, a former member of Malawian parliament and a human rights researcher not involved in the study.
“This study gives me hope,” she said. “This is locally conducted research by Malawians in our own languages that show that the perceptions are changing around gender and sexuality and there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
The study found 87 percent supported constitutional protection of LGBT+ human rights.
But 90 percent said they could not accept a gay man or lesbian woman in their own family, and almost one in four said they might be violent toward gender non-conforming people in the future.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Where is Chakwera’s leadership prowess if he cannot come out in the open and kickstart “same sex marriage” discussion? This just shows he is laboriously negating his responsibilities for not championing the discourse for fear of being labelled biased, but by being tight lipped he is even displaying his sheer weaknesses. Leaders lead in different ways, not by hiding in state houses and only come out to bark on tv/radios on baseless subjects. Is he not the same person who was in the forefront just a couple of months ago chastising the previous government as if he had all the solutions? Here he is to day completely lost, not knowing what ropes to pull. We are surely in a complete dire straits which unfortunately is on us for the next four or so years. Bad!!@
Countries like Uganda and Nigeria are very loud and clear on gay rights. There is nothing wrong in our blessed yet ‘small’ nation categorically stating it’s stand on gay rights. This is not the time to feign ignorance in the name of donor funds.
Human Rights Is Human Rights
I would think that a Pastor is suppose to be a man of love and compassion
Throughout my life I have only witnessed the opposite of what Christians preach
“Preaching water but drinking wine”..
When someone tells me that they are a Christian I usually run the other way…
I hope the DONORS will also run the other way..
Legalise it. Most of you do worse things in the comfort of your bedrooms. Let people have rights. Most of you already do what the LGBT already does. Most of you eat each other’s private parts, play with each other’s anus. I don’t know what’s new here? Let people be. Judgement is individual by God the creator. Let he without sin, cast the first stone. Tonse tozakaweluzidwa. All the people are asking for is the right to love whoever they want and live happily with protections of the constitution.
You don’t let the majority decide on the rights of the minority. It is already a losing game. It’s just the same as letting the majority decide on the rights of people with disabilities. Everyone agrees that people with disabilities require protection from the State even though there are in minority. In a similar way, LGBTs fall under the category of minorities with different perspectives based on their sexual orientation. How would you feel if your relative was discriminated based on sexual orientation?
Yee we need people like Joseph of the Bible. Kuno ku Malawi nyansi Yayi
Nyasi
There nothing to discuss here same sex is an abomination. Our culture does not allow zopusa and also The Bible is very clear on that issue.
I know that other people will support it because of funding. Kuli Ndalama
Does the Bible allow polygamy or having sex outside wedlock or defiling chidren? Malawians stop being two faced pretend you are Christian but practicing things which your faith preaches. What gay community do is their business as long as they don’t do it with children.
@Chiwoko ngati nyama like dogs don’t do staff lak these of same sex nde uziti chan apa? The issue here is not comparing things but telling you what humans were designed by the creator-GOD
Who created LGBTs? Is it not the same God you pretend to believe in? If you are gong to follow the Bible then follow the ten comandments in totallity dont pick and choose what suits you.
Abusa give the nation guidance. Don’t pretend to be an ostrich that buries its head in the sand during a storm hoping it will go away on its own. Make your position known and provide guidance to the nation. That’s why you are president.
Its only in Malawi where politicians ascend to the presidency without the voters knowing their position on critical issues. Ideally by voting for him to be president we are giving him the mandate to carry on the policy recommendations he outlined during campaign. We vote for someone who is decisive and doesn’t push back to us to decide once again. What else is he going to push back to us to decide. The president is well aware of what the majority of Malawians want on the issue and yet thinks he can outsmart the “donors” who are pushing for these rights to be recognized at the pain of withdraw of aid (presumably)
. No he can’t. They well know what he is doing. And to make matters worse he is willing that we spend yet some billions on a referendum after which because gay rights will not be recognized the donors might still withdraw aid.
Long story short, make up your mind Mr President. Be decisive. Its cost effective that way.
Let these LGBT groups source funds for a referendum, and then we should vote. May I be schooled why humans are in male and female forms?
Biologically people are born differently. That is why we have people born with medical, physiological and physical diasabilities. LGBT is not a choice of life style it is a biological anomaly. Should we not allow them to live their own lives. Racist Whites consider Blacks not as humans as theselves and vise-versa. I have been in America and UK where devout Christian Evengelicals refused me in their churches because I am black. Is that Christianity. Leave the LGBTs alone as long as they do not interfere with the lives of us who consider ourselves as “Normal”. Dont bring GOd in this issue as he is the one who made them to be what they are.
[spoiler title=””] Well and good for the president to have no clear stand on the legalization of same sex marriage,but since this is a sensitive issue for all citizens of Malawi, it would be much better if he used his moral stand one way or the other,or alternatively put the whole issue into a referendum . Please be warned, the country will be embarking on a slippery slop if you decide that everything that the West does is God given and it must be correct.We must be proud as Africans that we too can decide matters for ourselves ,not copying everything that America or any other country does for we are not sheep to follow everything that others do. Man to marry man, or Woman to woman,how ridiculous .Are you going to deny the progression of future generation to inhabit the earth.Ask yourself this question ,HOW DID YOU HAPPEN TO BE CREATED? was it through man and man, or woman and woman relationships???? Do you remember ADAM AND EVE. in the holly Bible? [/spoiler]
Malawi is far from development. Literacy levels are still low. There is a lot of unemployment among the youth. The roads are bad. The schools are still poor. The hospitals are poorly equipped. We are wasting time on things that are not important and we know it is against nature. The white man is always imposing things on poor countries like Malawi and yet they cannot go and do the same in Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. The people being interviewed here are worse that dogs and pigs. They are busy chewing money from the advocates abroad. We must stand against this stupidity. Those who want to do are free to do the stupid things but do not legalize it. Do the poverty levels not touch your hearts to be talking about same sex marriage? You want the authorities to be issuing marriage certificates for that.
Bring your nyansi to referendum and see.
referendums cost money. Very stupid things to be wasting money on
Can we go for a referendum to deal with this issue once and for all
This is country has critical issues to be resolved and this is not even on the list and it doesn’t ever have to be. It cannot help this sovereign nation in anyway. Zautchisi, zausatana, zauchitsiru. Pursuing this route will only end in grave peril. Be warned!!
HUMAN RIGHT!!! Can we please sort out first on the issues of
who has been killing albinos
who torched the Tambala family at the UTM office please becaise that is what we call HUMAN RIGHTS. those lost lives deserved the RIGHT TO LIVE.
We are not sitting around researching on who should marry and waste the tax payers money!!!! hello! we are already traumatised manipulated exploited abused financially. so pleaseeee Kabwila just sit down and dont waste our monies. we got lots to sort out.
visit all MACOHA CENTERS and see and decide whether you the public want to spent money on your research. GET SOME TANGIBLE WORK TO SHPW THE POOR IN THE VILLAGES.
Abusa woyeeeeee!
Kuyamikira indecision yo?
It is indeed very funny for the president to have no clue on this evil. Whether in our society since time in memorial or religious circles the fact remains that same sex marriage is evil. Therefore for a man who has served God to mince word about this evil is evident that something is wrong somewhere.You have to make a stand on this issue Mr president otherwise as a former pastor we may question your integrity all along.Even though i walk through the valley of the shadow death i will fear no evil,David says. Avoidance of commenting on important issues is not good at all. Do not fear the loss of popularity to a minority group or donors ,fear God who is holy and glorious.
How can the self confessed man of god not have a stand on same sex marriage? That kind of excuse is expected of pagans and non believer, not a pastor of assemblies of god.
It is beyond stupid to be campaigning for same-sex marriage when the penal code criminalises consensual same-sex acts. That is TWO big hurdles to be overcome in a single jump. better to concentrate first on legalising consensual same-sex.