Arrested gays plan seperation, say homosexuals have no rights in Malawi

Two Malawian gay lovebirds Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga have announced their pans for separation after noticing that Malawi has no gay rights.
Speaking from Blantyre police, the equally shaken two said they did not understand why the police was keeping them under custody.
Chimbalanga said she saw no reason for police to pounce on homosexuals when heterosexuals wed openly.
“We are being victimized for simply expressing what we feel, why are police officers victimizing us when heterosexuals wed publicly without being bothered, we have done nothing wrong our conscious is clean God is the best judge,” said Chimbalanga.
On his part Monjeza was very saddened with what had happened adding that this would affect their sexuality.
“However we are separating because we have realized that Malawi has no homosexual rights,” said Monjeza.
The two are to appear before the Blantyre magistrates’ courts today with scores expected to witness the hearing of the case that has raise a lot of public interest.
According to views monitored on radio phone-in programmes, many Malawians want a speedy trial for the two for doing what has been described as indecent act.
Meanwhile the Malawi gay rights movement (Magrim) has blamed increased public outrage against the two (gays) on ignorance, saying when it comes to issues of homosexuality many Malawians is illiterate.
Magrim publicist Wongani Phiri said the problem with many Malawians was that they failed to differentiate sodomy and homosexuality.
“For example many Malawians don’t know the difference between sodomy and homosexuality attributing the sex acts that happens in prisons to homosexuality, however being gay is natural as opposed to the behaviour that happens in prisons,” he said.
He said the movement was in full support of the present development trends taking in the country that demonstrated that Malawi was no longer a conservative nation.
“We are in full support of the government plans to change the national flag because it shows that government realizes that things are no longer the same and that modern laws and national emblems should reflect the modern trends. The same is true with the country’s homosexual statutes; they are old fashioned, do not reflect current trends, and need to change. It is no longer a luxury but a matter of urgency now,” said Phiri.
Meanwhile, the two appeared before the Blantyre Magistrates Court this morning, where, among others, their lawyers Noel Supedi of Edgar and Davis Law Firm argued that the two’s case was not as serious as treason.
The lawyers cited the case of former Vice President Cassim Chilumpha, whom government accused on planning to assassinate president Bingu wa Mutharika but still got court bail.
However, prosecutors argued that the case was so serious it would be immaterial for the court to grant bail.
The court is expected to make a ruling pertaining to bail next Monday.
Monjeza and Chimbalanga have since been transferred to Chichiri Maximum Prison.