I am impelled to write on the above topic because of the discussion unfolding in our social networks notably on Facebook and the print media. There are those who have made critical comments about the president’s decision to ease the suffocating grip of archaic laws that have been used to clampdown the liberties of those […]
Leaders of Malawi’s biggest Christian church movement, the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC), has proposed to government to address the general ‘code of dress’ amongst Malawians to ensure that local culture and sensibilities are respected. The Council has voiced their proposal in a communiqué on current “contemporary issues” affecting Malawi. “The Council has noted with regret […]
Police in Santhe a growth centre in Malawi’s central district of Kasungu have arrested a student at Santhe Secondary School for alleged sexually assaulting his roommate-cum-friend in the dormitory. This comes after reports that the government has suspended anti-gay laws which in the process stripped off the police of powers to arrest homosexuals. A source […]
The announcement by Malawi’s justice minister Ralph Kasambara this week that the country would suspend laws criminalising gay and lesbian people and activity, pending a parliamentary review, stands out on a continent where gay rights are either ignored or deliberately limited. In February this year, the former first lady of Liberia introduced a Bill to […]
Leaders of Malawi’s biggest Christian church movement, the Malawi Council of Churches (MCC), have voiced their official stand on current “contemporary issues” affecting Malawi. In a statement issued Thursday entitled: ‘Our Nation and Contemporary Issues Affecting Our Lives’, the clergy have tackled on issue of homosexuality, the looming hunger, the Lake Malawi border dispute with neighboring Tanzania, […]
Malawi Law Society (MLS) has described as unconstitutional, illegal and an insult to Parliament, the government’s move to temporarily suspend criminalization of same-sex marriage. The Law Society has argued that no minister even the Attorney General or Minister of Justice has the right or powers to suspend any law without going through Parliament or the […]
Malawi’s political rabble-rouser Kamlepo Kalua who has been backing President Mrs. Joyce Banda has for the first time attacked her government accusing it of “abandoning God” for suspending a law banning same-sex relationships. Kalua has been strong backer of the President’s economic reforms since Banda took over as the country’s leader following the death of Bingu […]
We, the Concerned Citizens of Malawi, would like to express our concern over the government’s stifling of debate over the issue of Homosexuality in this country. We particularly cite the government’s recent unilateral decision to suspend anti-gay laws. We question this selective application of the law for the following reasons: There are other laws such […]
Malawi High Court Judge Dunstain Mwaungulu, who is also an authoritative commentator on topical issues on various internet discussion forum, has spoken against the move taken by the government to suspend anti-homosexuality laws. Under the country’s penal code, men can be sentenced for up to 14 years and women to five years for homosexuality. But […]
Human rights group Amnesty International (AI) has applauded Malawi government following the announcement by Justice Minister Ralph Kasambara that Police have been ordered not to arrest or prosecute homosexuals until parliament has debated on whether to to repeal the anti-homosexuality laws. Kasambara made the announcement during a debate Thursday night in Lilongwe, that after President […]
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara has said the country has temporary suspended the controversial same-sex laws until Malawians through Parliament make a decision on the criminalising same-sex relationships. Malawi is currently struggling to accept homosexuals, gays and lesbian due to stringent criminal laws coupled by conservative cultural and traditional beliefs among many […]
Head of Prison Health Services, Dr. Henry Ndidi says prisoners are among the high risk groups to contract HIV and AIDS because of tendency of Men having sex with Men (MSM). Dr. Ndindi made the observation on Wednesday during the National Dissemination Conference on the Legal and Policy Environment Assessment Report for HIV and AIDS […]
President Mrs Joyce Banda has said Malawians are not ready to lift the ban on homosexuality. Banda, who came to power in April on the death of her predecessor Bingu wa Mutharika, told Parliament in May that: “Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed.” The announcement caused a stir among churches and conservative Malawians. […]
A recent survey conducted by the Afrobarometer has revealed that majority of Malawians are against homosexuality acts. In findings presented in Lilongwe on Tuesday by the Malawi Afrobarometer team, said the survey was carried out in June and sampled a total of 2,400 respondents, giving it a margin of error of +/-2% at the 95% confidence […]
Firebrand politician Brown Mpinganjira has challenged the former ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to explain to Malawians why its leader late Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned two gay convicts Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steve Monjeza, accusing the party of secretly promoting homosexuality. The two became an international cause celebre after being jailed 14 years for after being convicted […]
Maverick Minister of Gender and Child Development Anita Kalinde recently went public with her personal position on homosexuality in Malawi. She is personally against homosexuality and its other forms in Malawi. Her open and seemingly defiant stand astounded a group of 60 school girls on Sunday when she and the Minister of Education Eunice Kazembe […]
Two prominent Malawi human rights organisations have described the call by the former governing Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) that government should call for a national referendum to solicit views of Malawians on the issue of scrapping laws against homosexuality as “retrogressive”. DPP’s recently issued a statement after rock superstar Sir Elton John hailed President Joyce Banda for […]
Background The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) wishes to register our profound concern over recent pronouncements made by some eminent personalities regarding Malawi’s position on gay, lesbian, and same sex relationships. Specifically, we wish to raise our serious misgivings on this issue taking into account applause recently made in the United States of America (USA) congratulating […]