Church fires gay cleric

Nkhoma Synod of the influential Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) has fired a church minister who allegedly tried to demonstrate how gays make love to an inquisitive ‘student’.
Reverend Simeon Banda was ministering at Kakoma CCAP Church located at Kamwendo in the Central Malawi district of Mchinji.
Banda confirmed his firing from the church, but described it as unfair since he was just “doing guidance and counseling with the inquisitive student”.
It all begun when Rev. Banda was invited to lecture at an Anglican institution in Malawi’s capital city, Lilongwe. In the process of his lecturing, the cleric referred to same-sex marriages and intercourse as part of “the evil people do”.
His ‘victim’, a member of the audience, wondered how people of the same gender can have sex.
The Rev. then invited the inquisitive trainee to a room for a detailed explanation on how gays manage to have sex with each other. The pastor went all the way, demonstrating on the ’student’ in pure practical fashion- leaving nothing that has to be touched untouched, and all holes that must be filled temporarily rocked.
Said Martin Chalimba Saiwa, a member of the audience: “That is how the Reverend sodomised him. In fact, the boy came out very, very weak; he even had difficulties to walk.”
However, Rev, Banda dismissed these claims.
“It is sad that it was reported this way. I did not do that. In fact, I am still waiting to hear from the Synod on the grounds fro my firing<” said Banda.
Nevertheless, Banda admitted having shared the same, isolated room with the boy.
“I did that to pray for him. He wants to become an Anglican reverend in future. I pray and I am able to visualize if one can make it as a reverend. I was praying for him but he reported it wrongly after I left,” said Banda.
Nkhoma Synod General Secretary, Reverend Davidson Chifungo, wondered why such a story should be published.
“We have our own internal mechanisms when dealing with such issues. It is, therefore, not good for us to comment. By the way, why publish such a story,” queried Chifungo.
The matter also led to the suspension of Kakoma CCAP session clerk Joseph Uledi, who was accused of shielding the cleric.
Uledi was also accused of writing a letter to Chileka CCAP where Rev. Banda is currently praying. The letter cleared the embattled cleric and permitted him to receive Holy Communion.
Uledi denied ever shielding the Reverend.
“This story came to us through the Presbytery office but, before all the processes were finished, we received a letter from the synod copied to Reverend Banda, Kakoma CCAP and Mchinji Presbytery.
“In the letter, I was accused of not telling church members about the synod letter stopping Reverend Banda. How could I do that without being instructed by authorities to tell the church members?” queried Uledi.
Uledi was suspended on October 23 this year.
Other Kakoma Church members said they heard that Rev. Banda attempted to sodomised the boy “but he did not do it”.
Anglican authorities reported that matter to Nkhoma Synod, who investigated the issue and consequently fired Reverend Banda.
But Banda said this week he was not heard before the decision was made.
On two occasions, members of Kakoma CCAP sent back a lorry sent by the synod to transfer Reverend Banda to his home.
Apparently, this was because they were not told of the allegations. This angered synod officials, consequently suspending the session clerk Uledi.
Reverend Banda is now staying as a layman in Blantyre, Malawi’s commercial city.