Britain will review its aid to Malawi if the Government refuses to free two gay men who were sentenced to 14 yearsâ hard labour this week. Andrew Mitchell, the International Development Secretary, came under pressure yesterday to begin withdrawing ÂŁ19 million of British âbudget supportâ for the Commonwealth countryâs Government.... The Department for International Development (DfID) is understood to be considering reducing the proportion of aid paid directly to Malawi while maintaining the overall amount of ÂŁ80 million donated to the country each year. Up to to 40 percent of Malawiâs budget comes from foreign donors.
Western governmentsâgovernments with openly gay elected officials, governments whose foreign aid budgets include revenues collected from openly gay taxpayersâhave the leverage to free Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza.