Umunthu Pressure Group to oppose homosexuality, abortion

A new movement called Umunthu Pressure Group has been formed to fight legalisation of homosexuality and abortion which is being advocated by some civil rights groups.

In a letter announcing its formation, the group’s founder and National Coordinator, Kizito James Kaunjika, said the organisation has been founded in the wake of the ongoing debate on whether Malawi should decriminalise same sex relationships and abortion or not.

The letter, in possession of The Daily Times which has been addressed to religious institutions, senior traditional leaders, political parties, members of parliament, civil society and the Malawi Law Society attacks people agitating for the legalisation of same sex relationships saying homosexuality is evil.

“It is unbelievable to learn that our own sons and daughters of Malawi, who are bright and intelligent have chosen to be used by the devil to propagate the legalization of the shameful, degrading, inhuman, selfish desires against the wishes of many Malawians,” reads the letter in part.

The letter further says those propagating for legalisation of the two are twisting the truth with evil motives behind, in the name of rights of the minorities in the country which has a good culture with God fearing people.

He says most issues being championed in the name of promoting minority rights, are not being compelled by wishes of Malawians, rather foreign interests.

Apart from homosexuality and abortion, Kaunjika who is quoting verses from the bible to back his claims, further states that his organisation will also counter other issues such as the legalization of Prostitution and Euthanasia which he alleges will soon also be advocated in Malawi.

“Malawians are totally against this and by being quite it does not mean that they have accepted,” he said before declaring: “We were watching and listening to what they were propagating throughout the year 2012, now the year 2013 is the year of answers to them.”

Decriminalisation of anti—homosexuality according to its advocates is a step in the promotion of minority rights while laws allowing abortion are seen as part of ongoing efforts by the authorities to empower women and means to reduce maternal deaths in the country.

Dr. Chisale Mhango, a veteran gynecologist and obstetrician, has observed that the current laws in Malawi which criminalise abortion discriminate against the poor, while the rich are able to access safe abortions.

He said this at a capacity building workshop for medical, law and nursing students held at Chancellor College in Zomba at the weekend.

Mhango observed that the restrictive anti-abortion laws do not prevent women from procuring an unsafe abortion, which consequences such as complications and even death.

Research findings have shown that a lot of the country’s high maternal deaths were being compounded by the high number of women who are dying due to complications from unsafe abortions.

Current statistics show that up to 67,000 women die annually due to unsafe abortions.

Malawi’s current restrictive anti-abortion laws are being condemned by health professionals and women’s rights activists as lacking in preventing women from procuring an unsafe abortion, which consequences such as complications and even death.

The current law is also said to be contradicting the various international statutes and commitments that Malawi made such as the Maputo plan of action which aims at preventing deaths of women due to maternal complications.