News / Africa
Malawi President to do away with anti homosexual laws
19 May 2012 at 08:00hrs | Views
President Joyce Banda who assumed the presidency in April when her predecessor President Bingu wa Mutharika died, declared on Friday that she wants to repeal Malawi's laws against homosexual acts.
Going against a trend in Africa in which gays are being increasingly singled out for prosecution, Banda 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"Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed," she said.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.
Malawi had faced international condemnation for the conviction and 14-year prison sentences given in 2010 to two men who were arrested after celebrating their engagement and were charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency.
Then President Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned the couple on "humanitarian grounds only" while insisting they had "committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws."
Mutharika died in office in April. Banda, who was vice-president, stepped in to serve out his term which ends in 2014.
Elsewhere in her speech, Banda said her government wants to normalize relations with "our traditional development partners who were uncomfortable with our bad laws."
Banda's speech was applauded by human rights activists, but they cautioned getting the necessary backing from parliament won't be easy.
"The issue of homosexuality has been a contentious issue," said human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula. "Definitely it will raise controversy in parliament."
In South Africa, the only African country with laws protecting gay rights, activist Mark Heywood said Banda would have international support.
"I hope that she is persuasive enough in her own country," Heywood said.
South Africa's 1996 constitution bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. With the constitution's backing, activists have gone to court to ensure laws such as one banning sodomy were overturned. Gays have had the right to marry since 2006 but face discrimination and sometimes violence in South Africa.
"It's really important for other African countries other than South Africa to move in this direction," Heywood said of Banda's move.
Going against a trend in Africa in which gays are being increasingly singled out for prosecution, Banda 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.
Malawi had faced international condemnation for the conviction and 14-year prison sentences given in 2010 to two men who were arrested after celebrating their engagement and were charged with unnatural acts and gross indecency.
Then President Bingu wa Mutharika pardoned the couple on "humanitarian grounds only" while insisting they had "committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws."
Mutharika died in office in April. Banda, who was vice-president, stepped in to serve out his term which ends in 2014.
Elsewhere in her speech, Banda said her government wants to normalize relations with "our traditional development partners who were uncomfortable with our bad laws."
Banda's speech was applauded by human rights activists, but they cautioned getting the necessary backing from parliament won't be easy.
"The issue of homosexuality has been a contentious issue," said human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula. "Definitely it will raise controversy in parliament."
In South Africa, the only African country with laws protecting gay rights, activist Mark Heywood said Banda would have international support.
"I hope that she is persuasive enough in her own country," Heywood said.
South Africa's 1996 constitution bans discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. With the constitution's backing, activists have gone to court to ensure laws such as one banning sodomy were overturned. Gays have had the right to marry since 2006 but face discrimination and sometimes violence in South Africa.
"It's really important for other African countries other than South Africa to move in this direction," Heywood said of Banda's move.
Source - Chronicle Herald
