Tag Archives: Malawi

The New York Times reports: The U.S. first lady was joyously welcomed at the airport, with singing and dancing by a troupe of women and scores of schoolchildren waving African and Malawian flags. The high-pitched sounds of women vocalizing were heard at the airport and at her subsequent appearances. In southern Africa, the vocalization is often done as a celebratory …

In 2012 then-Malawian President Joyce Banda suspended her nation’s laws that criminalized homosexual acts. Last week Malawi’s Catholic bishops issued a joint pastoral letter which denounces the government for failing to imprison gay citizens. From the letter: We agree with those who have faulted the Government for putting a moratorium on laws governing homosexual acts. This means that those guilty …

Finally we get some good news out of Africa. Malawi has suspended legislation against homosexuality which was among the hot button issues that forced donors to withdraw support last year, Minister of Justice Ralph Kasambara has disclosed. Kasambara, who is also Attorney General, said government wants to encourage debate and decide on whether laws against same- sex relationships should continue …

“Anyone who has listened to the debate in Malawi realizes that Malawians are not ready to deal with that right now. I as a leader have no right to influence how people feel. Where Malawi is and most African countries are, is maybe where America or the U.K. where about 100 years ago. The best thing the world can do …

Sit down, there’s good news from Africa. President Joyce Banda has said she wants Malawi to overturn its ban on homosexual acts – the first African country to do so since 1994. Two Malawian men were sentenced to 14 years in prison in 2010 after saying they were getting married. Several Western leaders have recently said they would cut aid …

While Hillary Clinton’s speech may have angered anti-factions in Nigeria, it appears that it may have the desired effect in Malawi. Malawi will review a series of controversial laws, including a ban on homosexual acts, Justice Minister Ephraim Chiume has said. Mr Chiume said the review was in response to “public opinion”. Western governments criticised Malawi last year for jailing …

In a move many would like to see the United States make, the British government has announced that it will reduce financial aid to nations that persecute their LGBT citizens. Poor African countries which persecute homosexuals will have their aid slashed by the Government in a bid by David Cameron to take his gay rights crusade to the Third World. …

“We’re not the world’s moral leader under this administration; we’re one of the world’s immoral leaders. What the administration is doing is just putting its own immoral views into its funding, trying to get other nations to come around and do the same thing. And they’re literally trying to create and extend this immorality globally. More than sixty countries have …

“If as human beings created in the image of God, we fail to appreciate the difference between males and females and start marrying man-to-man and woman-to-woman, are we not worse than dogs that appreciate nature’s arrangement? Have you ever seen a he-goat getting attached to another he-goat? Or a male dog to another male dog? Think about these things.” – …

We can’t know what horrible pressure or threats that have been placed on Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga to have the situation come to this latest development. From the Malawi-based newspaper The Nation: In a dramatic twist to the tale of Malawi’s convicted but pardoned gay lovebirds, the man, Steven Monjeza, has dumped his homosexual ‘wife’ Tiwonge Chimbalanga to marry …

Fantastic news. President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi has pardoned the gay couple sentenced last week to 14 years in prison at hard labor for the “grossly indecent and unnatural act” of holding a commitment ceremony. Mr Mutharika, speaking as UN chief Ban Ki-moon visited Lilongwe, said he had ordered their immediate release. Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, …

This Saturday in NYC there will be a demonstration at the Malawian consulate near the United Nations in protest of the imprisonment of the Malawi gay couple who last week were sentenced to 14 years at hard labor merely for holding an engagement ceremony. Date: Saturday, May 29, 2010Time: 2:00pm – 3:30pmLocation: Malawian Consulate, 866 United Nations Plaza, NY, NYStreet: …

“Malawi is dependent on foreign aid—most of it from Britain and the US—and that aid should be withdrawn. The government of Malawi should be told that it can have its rabid anti-gay bigotry or it can it can have foreign aid. But it can’t have both.” – Dan Savage, responding to the 14 year sentence of a gay couple in …

Today the White House strongly denounced the sentencing of a gay Malawi couple to 14 years of hard labor merely for holding an engagement ceremony. “The United States strongly condemns the conviction and harsh sentencing of Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga in Malawi. The criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity is unconscionable, and this case mars the human rights …

The Malawi gay couple arrest for “gross and indecent acts” has been sentenced to the maximum of 14 years in prison at hard labor. The judge said he wanted to protect the public from “people like you”. Steven Monjeza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, have been in jail since they were arrested in December after holding an engagement ceremony. The …

The U.S. State Department has denounced the Malawi government’s conviction of two gay men for “unnatural acts and gross indecency.” “The United States is deeply disappointed in today’s conviction of same-sex couple Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza in Malawi,” said assistant secretary Phillip J. Crowley at a press briefing Wednesday. “We view the criminalization of sexual orientation and gender identity …

The two gay men on trial in Malawi for holding an engagement ceremony have been found guilty of committing “unnatural acts.” A judge has found a gay couple guilty of unnatural acts and gross indecency after a trial that has sparked worldwide condemnation of Malawi’s laws on homosexuality. Blantyre chief resident magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa issued the ruling yesterday. The couple …

The Malawi gay couple whose engagement ceremony became international news now faces 14 years of hard labor in prison. Steven Monjenza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, conducted a traditional engagement ceremony in late December in Chirimba, near Blantyre. After news reports surfaced of the same-sex engagement, they were rounded up by Malawi’s police and charged under colonial-era sodomy laws. Their …

A gay couple has been arrested and charged with indecency for conducting a marriage ceremony in Malawi. Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza had a tradiitonal ceremony in the south African country on Saturday. Malawi has severe penalties against homosexual acts, commonly punishing gay sex with up to 14 years in prison. Attempts lin 2007 by human rights lawyers to repeal …

Malawi has shot down Madonna’s latest baby safari. A judge has rejected Madonna’s request to adopt a second child from Malawi because of a requirement that prospective parents live in the southern African nation for at least 18 months, a judge and a lawyer said Friday. The judge who confirmed the decision did not make the ruling, but saw it. …