Malawi to overturn homosexual ban

Lilongwe, 22 May – (ANA) – Malawi President Joyce Banda has said she wants her country 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 to countries which did not recognise gay rights. Mrs Banda took power last month after her predecessor, Bingu wa Mutharika, died of a heart attack. She has since reversed several of his policies, including devaluing the currency, in a bid to get donor funding restored. Many donors cut aid under Mr Mutharika, accusing him of economic mismanagement and political repression.

In her first state of the nation address to parliament, Mrs Banda said: "Some laws which were duly passed by the august house... will be repealed as a matter of urgency... these include the provisions regarding indecent practices and unnatural acts." After a storm of international condemnation, Mr Mutharika did pardon the two Malawian men on "humanitarian grounds only" but said they had "committed a crime against our culture, against our religion, and against our laws". Homosexual acts are illegal in most African countries. (ANA)

FA/ANA/22 May 2012----------