President Rupiah Banda has said that it is difficult for him to understand how anybody would tolerate homosexuals in the Zambian society.
Speaking during a meeting with “Champions of an HIV free generation in African” leaders at State House today, President Banda said it was difficult for him to decide on whether or not to permit homosexuality in the Zambian society because of the complexity of the issue.
He said because of its complexity, many politicians and leaders were emotional about the issue of homosexuality in their countries and observed that they had greater influence on the issue than Zambians because of the their financial stance.
“Up to now I cannot understand how anybody should tolerate homosexuals for instance, but listening to how complex it is just in your mind and you devoting all your life to this. It makes sense when you explain it that we should not laugh at these people but sensitize our children about it.”
A court in Malawi convicted a gay couple (Steven Monjeza-left and Tiwonge Chimbalanga-right)
“You can imagine how difficult it is for me when it comes to laws whether or not to permit homosexuality in our society.What is worse is that our cooperating partners, who are more influential than us because of their moneys, actually many of them have come to glorify it, talking to our young people and making them believe that homosexuality was a human right,” President Banda said.
He said it was unfortunate that when one tried to oppose homosexuality, such a person would be termed as ignorant of modernity without an understand the world.
“But when you see it from the position of the Champions fighting against HIV, then you will understand why first we should not criminalise them or laugh at them,” he said.
The President however pointed out that there was need to sensitise young people about ‘foreign’ sexual practices such as homosexuality.
He said such practices called for all influential people and leaders at all levels of the Zambian society to intensify the fight against the spread of HIV, especially that the country had recorded a reduction in infection rates.
Former Batswana president Festus Mogae
Speaking earlier at the same function, former Batswana president Festus Mogae who is also a member of the “Champions for an HIV free generation” group, called on leaders to understand people who engage into other practices of sex and find ways of preventing HIV infections.
Mr. Mogae, said the emphasis should be placed on preventing the spread of HIV regardless of which forms of sex citizens were involved in.
And former President of Zambia, Kenneth Kaunda noted that the problem of HIV/AIDS was getting more complex hence the need to tackle it jointly.
No comments:
Post a Comment