Eric Aniva: Jailed for commercial sex work?

Abiti Joyce Befu, also known as MG 66 and leader of the Bottom-Up expedition, Mzee MP Native Authority Mandela, Alhajj Mufti Jean-Philippe LePoisson, SC (RTD) and I, the Mohashoi, are in Nsanje for four reasons.

Firstly, we are here to condole and console the people of the mighty lower states, as the Republic of Senaland is fondly called, on the loss of the great Gwandanguluwe Chakuwamba Phiri. Chakuwamba was a lower states people’s politician. He loved them and they loved him even if at times they disagreed over his choice of political parties. So, continue resting in eternal peace Mwana Mphenzi.

We are also here to congratulate the people of Nsanje and Chikwawa, two districts that comprise the Lower States, for ensuring that the two radio stations meant for this area, Nyanthepa and Gaka community radio stations, are up and running. We will find time to visit Nyanthepa Community Radio to admire the studio designs; for we have an emotional attachment to that radio station.

Thirdly, we are here to cheer up  Alfonsina Nyanthepa, our  friend of yester years. It was with Alfonsina that we visited Chididi, the Elephant Marsh, Marka, and Mbenje. We may not have the time and the resources to revisit all these beautiful places.  But, come sun or rain, we will visit Mbenje because of Eric Aniva, whom the world has defamed, ridiculed and traduced in the media without considering the commercial-cum-cultural context of what he did.

In our informed opinion, the arrest, trial, judgement, and sentencing of Aniva has shown to the world why it is not good to be born male and grow up into a libidinous man.  Aniva is as a victim of Sena culture as are the 104 girls and women that were never paraded in court to give evidence and just proved their existence.

The BBC story on which the president based his order to arrest Aniva mentioned women that actually cajoled and paid Aniva into the sex games he believed were good for the sustenance of Sena culture. He was paid. He was a commercial sex worker. Aniva (a man) is now in prison, but the women who paid him to abuse girls and willing widows are free because they are women.

Aniva must have contracted HIV from these very kutchotsa fumbi women. But, in this pro-women’s world, the Anivas stand no chance of making their innocence heard. They will rot in jail even when they baited into a potential crime. They will die in jail while the modern-day slave traders, the women who effectively sold girls and fellow women for sex, are left to enjoy the treasures of the hyena culture.

We, Malawians, from the president, past and current, right down to the common citizen, past and present, are a very pretentious lot. The so-called human rights and gender activists, past and current, local and international, are a reprehensible and opprobrious lot. All of us know that in the Lower States or the Republic of Senaland, Kupita Ngozi, Kupita kufa, kupita moto and kuchotsa fumbi, are practised. National Research Commission research shows this so. Nsanje district Plans from as far back as 1999 indicate so. Yet we pretend we did not know!

Instead of planning how to ensure that these cultural practices are eliminated through awareness, knowledge, and behaviour change, the so-called human rights activists are busy blaming the courts for punishing Aniva according to the law.

Aniva has paid for accepting to be a male commercial sex worker. He should be released and turned into a partner for the elimination of kuchotsa fumbi and other cultural malpractices.  He also needs to be released because he has HIV. We all know why that is important.