Across the continent of Africa there has been a recent hardening of attitudes towards gay people, encouraged in large measure by US based Christian evangelical groups. The Ugandan parliament is currently debating legislation that will allow homosexuality to be punishable by death. Sudan and Nigeria’s northern states can already enforce the death penalty. Burundi criminalised homosexuality this year, joining 37 African countries where gay sex is outlawed.

Steven Monjeza and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, two gay lovers, challenged these attitudes when they conducted a public engagement ceremony in Malawi at the end of 2009. This was a small act of love in a small suburb of Blanyre, but it would go on to produce one of the biggest crisis ever to face this young democracy. Especially after they were charged under an old penal code which was a remnant from colonial days and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. We explore the implications of being gay in Africa today and two men’s battle for their human rights and dignity.