MALAWI BANS GAY MARRIAGE

A Constitution Amendment Bill banning same-sex marriage was passed in Malawi during a parliamentary sitting last month, reports Behind The Mask.

Amidst applause, Member of Parliament Edwin Banda said: “The clear position against homosexuality will help protect the sanctity of marriage and Malawi’s belief in God.”

The website reports that Banda also attempted to include a clause in the constitution stipulating that Malawi is a “God fearing nation,” but this was rejected by the government on the basis that it would infringe on freedom of religion.

Homosexuality is illegal in Malawi, under Section 153 of the Penal Code, which prohibits “unnatural offences”. Penalties include 14 years imprisonment or a death sentence.

Tourists who commit acts of homosexuality with locals in the southeast African country can also be prosecuted under article 156 and expelled as “undesirable aliens”.