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President Joyce Banda, the newly sworn in leader of Malawi, started off her term in a big way on Friday: by promising to repeal the African nation's anti-gay laws.
According to the Washington Post:
“Indecency and unnatural acts laws shall be repealed,” she said. But repealing a law requires a parliamentary vote, and it is unclear how much political support Banda would have for sweeping changes in this impoverished and conservative nation in southern Africa.
Elsewhere in her speech, Banda said her government wants to normalize relations with “our traditional development partners who were uncomfortable with our bad laws.”
Banda’s speech was applauded by human rights activists, but they cautioned getting the necessary backing from parliament won’t be easy.
“The issue of homosexuality has been a contentious issue,” said human rights activist Undule Mwakasungula. “Definitely it will raise controversy in parliament.”
Perhaps President Banda's leadership will inspire a reversal in Africa's recent trend toward government sanctioned homophobia.
(Source and image: WaPo)
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