Malawian homosexuals form association

Malawian homosexuals, who claim to have been oppressed for a long time, have formed an association, the Malawi Gay Rights Movement (Magrim).

According to the organisation's interim Chairperson, Mc Leod (requested that his surname not be mentioned), Malawian gays and lesbians have never publicly come foward because of the country's repressive laws. Under Malawi law, just like in most Southern African Development Community (Sadc) member states, it is a criminal offence punishable by imprisonment with hard labour.

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe has gone on to describe homosexuals as 'worse than pigs', a stance Mc Leod fears has been adopted by other Sadc Heads of State, including Malawi.

"What people must know is that Malawi has always had an active gay population. and these people have been meeting for a long time. Only that now we have decided to come forth because we want our views heard; we are Malawian citizens who should be protected like anyone else. Doesn't our Republican constitution say everyone is equal, and that nobody is more equal than others," queried Mc Leod in Blantyre today.

Apparently, when a Malawian civil rights organisation, the Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre reported some three years ago that it wanted to advocate for the decriminalisation of homosexual laws, the country went up in flames against the proposal.

But Mc Leod describes the situation as "pathetic", saying, contrary to prevalent perceptions that homosexuals are 'artificial' human beings, the reality is that, just like heterosexuality, being gay or lesbian is natural.

"These people don't understand, but we will fight on. In fact, Malawi has an active population of 89, 000 homosexuals, and this we say because we meet, and have sexual intercourse," said Mc Leod to prove the fact that homosexuality is real in Malawi.

The launch for the association, which currently has 3890 members, including 680 ladies, is slated for Blantyre on September 13.

"We have a place in Blantyre City Centre where we have been meeting for the past six years," he said, adding that thge association was looking for well-wishers to help bank-role the occasion. He added that it also had plans to begin outreach activities, starting this November, to sensitise people that homosexuality is natural, and no cause for shame.

He said they were currently looking for K1, 400, 000 (about U$D10,000) to carry out the activities he said were necessary to rid Malawian gays of the bondage they have suffered for the past 45 years, that is the time Malawi has been independent from her former colonial master Britain.

This is the first time gays have come openly to express themselves, as the world increasingly embraces homosexuality.