Despite President Hakainde Hichilema stating that his administration is clear and consistent that it does not support gay rights, hence it will not be distracted from addressing pertinent issues affecting Zambians, Patriotic Front Media Director Antonio Mwanza notes with dismay the statement issued by the President on homosexuality citing it as very sad and disappointing.
Yesterday, the Head of State noted in a post on his official Facebook page that his stance regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) has been consistent from the time he was in the opposition.
“We must focus our energy in addressing pressing issues affecting our people and not be detracted,” President Hichilema said
But Antonio Mwanza disclosed that the issue of homosexuality should be treated as an important issue that is affecting the country, thus the President issuing such a statement is very sad because homosexuality and sodomy cases are currently on the rise.
Mr Mwanza mentioned that, as the Patriotic Front, they want to see the President addressing the nation on the issue of homosexuality and sodomy, because as the government they should be keen in taking drastic action against the perpetrators of sodomy and homosexuality, rather than just issuing statements instead of taking action in this crisis.
“On the issue of homosexuality and the sodomy and the abuse that we are seeing on boys, young people being sodomized, it is shocking that the President of the Republic of Zambia amidst a young man dying in Soweto Market after being brutally sodomized, the President and his government can be quite on this issue,” Mr Mwanza mentioned
“Has the President issued any statement over the young man who has been sodomized in Soweto Market or the boys that were sodomized at school, because I haven’t seen any statement from him, what is the statement and position of the government amidst rising crimes of homosexuality, sodomy and gayism, the President has been quite on these particular matters,” Mr Mwanza added
Mr Mwanza stated that, the cases of sodomy and homosexuality have been there in this country but not at the rate that they are being reported now, because these cases are on its height and the country has never witnessed this.
“Former President Edgar Lungu despite all his shortcomings, on the issue of homosexuality he was very clear as he came out very straight as President and he put his foot down as the President by ensuring that he acted on the issue of homosexuality as the Head of State,” he said
He stated that when strange things are happening in the country, the President as the father of the nation must give direction, he must give in word as a direction on his government policy and stance on the particular matter, therefore, President Hichilema is expected to move his Law Enforcement Agencies to arrest this problem.
Mr Mwanza said that there is strange phenomenal where Dr Brian Sampa marched from Lusaka to Chipata on a Ban Alcohol Campaign without seeking a Police notification and nobody had a problem with it not even the Police approached him to state that his marching without a notification and he will be arrested, but when Dr Sampa was marching against homosexuality, the Police stopped him with Police battalion that came to arrest him, on the basis that he has no Police permit nor notification, with three Landcruiser that where fully packed with Police officers in riot gear as they moved in swiftly, which shows that this government is not coming out clear on the issue of homosexuality.
“But we have seen on social media where people are saying you need a Police permit, you don’t need a Police permit, the Supreme Court of Zambia already ruled on this matter in the case of Christine Mulundika versus the Attorney General, the Supreme Court in 1996 ruled that you don’t need a Police permit, so this story of Police permit is neither here nor there, you don’t need a Police permit, all you need to do is to just notify the Police on what you want to do,” he explained
“We are not surprised with increased incidences of homosexuality, sodomy, gayism, and everything that is going wrong in this country we are not surprised, as these people the UPND from the word go they don’t know God, when we had established a day for National Prayer, reconciliation and forgiveness, they always used to boycott, that’s why when they came into government the first thing, they did was to abolish the day of prayer and the Ministry of National Guidance and Religious Affairs, which was a very important Ministry with a firm stance on national values but they abolished it, because it seems these people and God can’t have an eye contact,” Mr Mwanza mentioned
Mr Mwanza highlighted this when he made an appearance on HOT FM Hot Seat Programme today.
Meanwhile, the United for National Development (UPND) Spokesperson Cornelius Mweetwa says the New Dawn government does not subscribe to any idea of homosexuality.
Mr Mweetwa who is also the Southern Province Minister noted during a press briefing yesterday that, homosexuality has no place in this country as long as President Hakainde Hichilema and his administration are still in leadership.
“As UPND there are certain things that must be done to cleanse the system, holding our cultural norms and traditions that anchor the fabric of our livelihoods in terms of morality,” Mr Mweetwa said
Mr Mweetwa added that anything happening in Zambia not being done by the government can therefore not be said to be a UPND agenda, as there are a lot of activities that are happening in the country.
“Criminal activities are happening in the country, are you saying because they are happening under the New Dawn Administration, then it believes in criminality, no!” Mr Mweetwa said