MUTHARIKA DENIES SAYING THAT HE WILL CALL FOR REFERENDUM ON SAME SEX MARRIAGES

President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika has distanced himself from his earlier remarks that he is contemplating to call for referendum on whether the country should legalize same sex marriages and abortion, saying he was miss quoted.

On Tuesday, Mutharika told Malawians through a special programme on state owned Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) television that he will call for referendum on same sex marriages and abortion.

Mutharika is on record to have said that his government will act upon the issue about abortion and same sex marriages based on the results of the referendum.

But in a statement released on Wednesday, trashing the remarks, Mutharika accused the media houses spreading the story of miss-quoting him.

In the statement, Mutharika said personally has no powers to call for referendum on the matter, saying doing so will be undermining the country’s laws.

Mutharika’s call for referendum on the matter received heavy criticism from Human rights activist in the country who argued that human rights issues should not be subjected to referendum.