Attention is on Monday turning to the commercial capital Blantyre where the High Court seating as Constitutional Court is to commence hearing of a consensual same sex relationship trial.
In the case; a gay convict, John Gonani is asking the court to determine the constitutionality of a law that criminalizes consensual same sex relationships between adults in private.
Gonani was arrested and convicted for contravening sections 153, 154 and 156 of the Penal Code which prohibits any person from indulging in sexual acts against the order of nature, which includes oral-genital and anal-genital intercourse.
Ahead of this historic court session; interested parties like Nyasa Rainbow Alliance, a network of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender and intersex – LGBTI community have spoken out their eagerness for their freedom.
Meanwhile, debate has been heated with some quarters, viewing the case as a push towards legalization of same sex marriages in Malawi.
However, a press statement by the alliance and in possession of MIJ Online has cleared the mist saying the case shouldn’t be viewed “as a push for promotion of homosexuality rather promotion of human rights”.
It concludes: “on the eve of this crucial hearing, it is our greatest hope that the Constitutional Court will relegate this law to the history books … This is not only an opportunity; to repeal this discriminatory law which unfairly targets members of our society simply because of who they love, but is also a history moment in our journey to equality for all Malawians”.
