The majority of Malawians disapprove of homosexuality and base their judgement on both the Malawian law, which deems gays and lesbians criminals, and the Christian faith that condemns them as sinners.

Over the past year and a half, Malawi’s President Mutharika has intensified his rampant homophobia by declaring gays to be ‘worse than dogs’ and violators of Malawian law and traditions.

Just a few days before the arrest of the first openly homosexual Malawian couple in December 2009, newspapers reported on government’s hunt for prominent gays. Not amused by the government’s position towards its sexual minorities, Malawi’s major donors took up the cause for sexual minority rights and started to pressure Mutharika to change the draconian laws.

President Mutharika, who faced a huge amount of criticism for the increasingly dictatorial nature of his reign and the enveloping economic crisis, made clever use of the ‘gay-issue’. Since it was one of the very few topics on which both churches and the people would firmly stand behind him, it offered him the opportunity to direct Malawian anxieties elsewhere and to present himself as Malawi’s grand protector.

Even during last month’s violent protests, the Malawian government tried to tap into homophobic sentiments, when Presidential spokesperson Hetherwick Ntaba argued that the demonstrations were sponsored by gay money. Yet Malawians proved they knew whom to hold accountable.

By Marion Hengeveld