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 Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe yesterday said homosexuals and lesbians will be punished severely for their behaviour which is inconsistent with African and Christian values.
He made the remarks at the launch of the Tongogara Community Share Ownership Tru-st at Unki Mine, an indigenise empowerment exercise.Zimbabweans told Copac (Constitutional Commitee) during the outreach programme that they want homosexuality outlawed.
"Do not get tempted into that (homosexuality). You are young people. Mukaenda ikoko we will punish you severely." Said the President Mugabe.
He took a swipe at recent utterances by British Prime Minister David Cameron that London will not aid countries that do not respect gay rights.
Mr Cameron said his government had engaged a number of African countries to influence them to embrace the practice.
"It becomes worse and Satanic when you get a Prime Minister like Cameron saying countries that want British aid should accept homosexuality.
"To come with that diabolical suggestion to our people is a stupid offer," President Mugabe said.
He added: "Chambopinda mumisoro yevarungu chii? Kuti vari kutadza zvinoitwa nenhunzi nemapete ese? Izvi hazvipo patsika dzedu kana yechiKristo.
"It is condemned by nature. It is condemned by insects and that is why I have said they are worse than pigs and dogs."
The President said it was impossible for John to marry Jack or Maria to marry Theresa.
But Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, who married this week, is on record advocating the protection of gays and lesbians' rights in the constitution.
The remarks have resulted in Zimbabweans condemning him for trying to promote European values.
There are also efforts by an MDC-T team in Copac to smuggle gay rights into the new constitution disguised as minority rights.
Last week, Copac failed to agree on the matter and it was referred to President Mugabe and PM Tsvangirai for intervention.
Ziimbabwe is in the process of penning a new charter which, if passed, is expected to restore majority rule in the country and protect fundamental freedom. However, the group, calling itself “Concerned Zimbabweans”, recently wrote a letter to COPAC co-chairs, Paul Mangwana, Douglas Mwonzora and Edward Mkhosi –Moyo, raising its misgivings with the new constitution, which is yet to go to a referendum.
The group said that it was “greatly worried about rights of some minority groups, which we note are about to be trampled simply because they are in the minority”. It said that, if unchecked, there was the potential for seeds of intolerance to be sown in society.
“Those who hold divergent views about certain aspects in life risk being stoned to death like what used to happen in ancient Greece,” said the group in a letter that was signed by its spokesperson, Freedom Mazwi, a human rights campaigner.
The group said that it was worried by statements attributed to some senior members of President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu (PF) party, especially regarding the issue of gays and lesbians.
“We speak on their behalf (Gays and Lesbians) because we are aware that they are afraid of coming out in the open because of the nature of our society,” added the group.
The group said that, in its view, gays and lesbians were a minority that deserved the care and attention of the government of the day.
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