Karonga District Executive Committee (DEC) members a group that consist of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and government officials in the district, have on Friday swear to protect the rights of

in the area.

The members made the call yesterday during the meeting organized by the Center for the Development for People (CEDEP) in the district.

According to the members, despite no LGBTI have been identified in the district it is important to start giving them a good environment.

“We don’t see any problem to protect the rights of gays and lesbians, because they are also enjoying their constitutional rights,” they said.

However, the deputy board chair of CEDEP Rev. Macdonald Sembereka disclosed that the district has number of LGBTI people hence the meeting.

“We decide to hold the meeting here because our research has shown that the district has number of gays and lesbians.  It has also been revealed that these people are not enjoying their rights as they are afraid of the surround community,” disclosed Sembereka.

“But what you have to know is that the country’s constitution legalized LGBTI and that they are supposed to treated equally,” he added.

In his remarks, Darlington Akambedi who is the senior superintendent in the Malawi Police said the law does not allow them to arrest gays or lesbians but to protect them.

However, this is against the Paramount Chief Kyungu’s order who denounced the existence of LGBTI in his area.

Meanwhile, people of Nkhata-bay have also denied accepting the rights of gays and lesbians in the district after also approached by CEDEP within the week.