During
their first trial, their only hope of living in a country where everyone enjoys
the freedom regardless of his/her sexual orientation, the two Malawian men who
engaged in 2010 for being homosexuals were looked upon as outcasts.
Almost everyone, from the then
president Bingu wa Mutharika, the media, civil society organizations, faith
based organizations, the clergy, traditional leaders and a good section of the
citizenry condemned the two, Steve Chibalanga and tionge Monjeza.
No wonder, the two lover birds were hurriedly arrested and sentenced to14 years in prison by the Blantyre Magistrate court, a conviction which was later dropped by Mutharika after international pressure.
This was the time the rainbow cloth was threatened, those with minority rights were threatened and forced to live in hiding their sexual feeling.
If the late president’s words, that homosexuals are nothing but abnormal people, then Malawi seems to have a lot of such people, whose feelings cannot just be ignored in each and every aspect, be it development and health sectors.
Homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries which regards it as against traditional morals.
In Uganda, an MP recently introduced a bill which stipulated the death penalty could be imposed for some homosexual offences, although he has since said he now wants this changed to life in prison.
South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriages are legal - discrimination based on sexual orientation was banned after a new constitution was introduced when white minority rule ended in 1994.
Malawi’s current president Joyce Banda, during her nation address speech in Parliament recently, said she will repeal the laws that oppress the gay community.
Banda, who assumed the presidency in April when her predecessor died, made the announcement in her first state of the nation address.
"Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed," she said. But repealing a law requires a parliamentary vote, and it is unclear how much political support Banda would have for sweeping changes in this impoverished and conservative nation in southern Africa.
Although the president has brought hope to the condemned and discriminated souls, some quarters still looks to be happy when they see their fellow human beings being oppressed because of their sexual orientations.
Malawi's Public Affairs Committee (PAC), an umbrella body of all churches in Malawi has trashed the president's wish to free homosexuals.
Addressing the press in Blantyre, PAC General Secretary Maurice Munthari said homosexual should not be entertained as it is not only unbiblical but also ‘unMalawian’.
"We urge the president to tread this issue very carefully," said Munthari.
He said they are consulting with their Muslim groupings to on how best they can counter attack the move.
Homosexual issues have, for the recent time, become a hot issue between African and foreign countries.
Executive Director for the Center of the Development of People (CEDEP) Gift Trapence, said the president’s speech to repeal the laws is a commitment of the Malawi government in protecting the rights of the minority.
“This is a good message to both Malawians and the international community the government is committed to respect human rights regardless of who one is. Mind you, rights are rights whether one likes it or not. They need to be protected even if it is one person,”he said.
Recently, while addressing an audience of diplomats in Genever, US secretary of state Hilary Clinton called for the rights of gay people to be respected.
"Gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world," said Clinton adding that, "Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality."
Clinton did not outline sanctions for countries that fail to reform same-sex laws, but an official memorandum directs US government agencies to consider gay rights when making aid and asylum decisions.
Her comments follow a warning by UK Prime Minister David Cameron last month that the UK would reduce some aid to countries that refuse to recognise gay rights.
This stills seems to be not an easy ride for the homosexuals in Malawi, but still, a rainbow cloth looks to be covering the nation, bringing with it faces that have been rejected to freedom.
No wonder, the two lover birds were hurriedly arrested and sentenced to14 years in prison by the Blantyre Magistrate court, a conviction which was later dropped by Mutharika after international pressure.
This was the time the rainbow cloth was threatened, those with minority rights were threatened and forced to live in hiding their sexual feeling.
If the late president’s words, that homosexuals are nothing but abnormal people, then Malawi seems to have a lot of such people, whose feelings cannot just be ignored in each and every aspect, be it development and health sectors.
Homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries which regards it as against traditional morals.
In Uganda, an MP recently introduced a bill which stipulated the death penalty could be imposed for some homosexual offences, although he has since said he now wants this changed to life in prison.
South Africa is the only African country where same-sex marriages are legal - discrimination based on sexual orientation was banned after a new constitution was introduced when white minority rule ended in 1994.
Malawi’s current president Joyce Banda, during her nation address speech in Parliament recently, said she will repeal the laws that oppress the gay community.
Banda, who assumed the presidency in April when her predecessor died, made the announcement in her first state of the nation address.
"Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed," she said. But repealing a law requires a parliamentary vote, and it is unclear how much political support Banda would have for sweeping changes in this impoverished and conservative nation in southern Africa.
Although the president has brought hope to the condemned and discriminated souls, some quarters still looks to be happy when they see their fellow human beings being oppressed because of their sexual orientations.
Malawi's Public Affairs Committee (PAC), an umbrella body of all churches in Malawi has trashed the president's wish to free homosexuals.
Addressing the press in Blantyre, PAC General Secretary Maurice Munthari said homosexual should not be entertained as it is not only unbiblical but also ‘unMalawian’.
"We urge the president to tread this issue very carefully," said Munthari.
He said they are consulting with their Muslim groupings to on how best they can counter attack the move.
Homosexual issues have, for the recent time, become a hot issue between African and foreign countries.
Executive Director for the Center of the Development of People (CEDEP) Gift Trapence, said the president’s speech to repeal the laws is a commitment of the Malawi government in protecting the rights of the minority.
“This is a good message to both Malawians and the international community the government is committed to respect human rights regardless of who one is. Mind you, rights are rights whether one likes it or not. They need to be protected even if it is one person,”he said.
Recently, while addressing an audience of diplomats in Genever, US secretary of state Hilary Clinton called for the rights of gay people to be respected.
"Gay people are born into and belong to every society in the world," said Clinton adding that, "Being gay is not a Western invention. It is a human reality."
Clinton did not outline sanctions for countries that fail to reform same-sex laws, but an official memorandum directs US government agencies to consider gay rights when making aid and asylum decisions.
Her comments follow a warning by UK Prime Minister David Cameron last month that the UK would reduce some aid to countries that refuse to recognise gay rights.
This stills seems to be not an easy ride for the homosexuals in Malawi, but still, a rainbow cloth looks to be covering the nation, bringing with it faces that have been rejected to freedom.
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