Aunt Tiwo finds new love

Malawi’s transgender personality Tiwonge Chimbalanga, popularly known as Aunt Tiwo, has found new love in South Africa where he hibernated after his release from prison four years ago.

Chimbalanga, in an interview from Cape Town on Wednesday, said he is happily married to a man whose particulars he declined to disclose.

Chimbalanga and his former partner, Steve Monjeza, were each sentenced to a 14-year-jail term in May 2010 for homosexuality activities before former president the late Bingu wa Mutharika, under pressure from the international community, pardoned the couple nine days after their conviction.

Despite finding his new love, Chimbalanga is still bitter with the Malawi Government and the local media for giving him and Monjeza negative publicity.

Chimbalanga said: “It is true I am married, but I cannot disclose the name of my partner. Government tortured us. We were taken from one prison to another as if we were criminals and the media gave us negative publicity. You condemned us, especially you, Frank Namangale, I have your name in my files.

“I left Malawi to find peace and I got it, but you are still following me up. I am here in the land of milk and honey; stop following me up and asking me this nonsense.”

Chimbalanga said it is high time Malawi started respecting minority human rights and stopped oppressing its citizens using archaic laws.

Chimbalanga claimed is working for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that assists stranded foreigners.

Said Chimbalanga: “The NGO helps people from different countries stranded here in South Africa. In my case, I help Malawians. I also travel to other countries on assignments.”

Asked if he ever thinks of coming back to Malawi, he said he could come back anytime he wishes because it is his home country.

As emotions slowly evaporated from Chimbalanga, he asked: “But how is Malawi? You have a new President, how are things?”

He, however, said he was not bothered with Malawi because South Africa has accepted him for who he is and gives him the respect he deserves.

After their release from prison, Aunt Tiwo and Monjeza separated and Aunt Tiwo, who played a female part in the relationship, trekked to South Africa where he is settled to-date.

Homosexuality is illegal in Malawi despite moves by human rights activists within and outside Malawi to have the laws that criminalise this behaviour repealed.