Gay man comes out in Malawi: Government should kill gays or give us our rights
A gay man has come out in Malawi, saying the Government needs to take a stance either way on homosexuality.
Eric Samisa, 26, came out in an interview with Times TV, saying the country is unbearable for LGBT people.
Samisa said: “The homophobic government should either kill and eliminate gays, or give them their rights.”
After giving his interview, Samisa was detained by police, but has been released and has gone into hiding.
Gay sex is illegal in Malawi and is punishable with up to 14 years in prison, however, the country’s government has suspended the law.
A review is still yet to take place on whether or not homosexuality should be decriminalised.
The 26-year-old told the newspaper in his interview that social media had made it easier for gay Malawians to meet others.
He said he knows around 200 gay people in Blantyre and 20 lesbians, and met them using Facebook and WhatsApp.
Sambisa also said LGBT people had found a church where a pastor comes to them without the judgement of other churches.
Another man, Fortune, 35, was also named in the interview.
They commended the Centre for the Development of People for reaching out to people to teach about issues like HIV.
“We get training on the dangers of unprotected sex, we also get condoms and lubricants to use during sex from Cedep,” said Fortune.
Sambisa hit out, however, given that the government has requested money from the Global Fund for Tuberculosis, Malaria and HIV and AIDS, saying money requested does not always reach LGBT people it is meant to help.
