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What Are African Leaders Saying About The Gay Community?

What Are African Leaders Saying About The Gay Community?

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According to human rights group Amnesty International, homosexuality is outlawed in 36 out of 54 African countries and punishable by death in four. That goes to indicate the level of intolerance towards the gay community across the continent. Most African leaders have been harsh towards the community, some calling it “unnatural”, “un-African”, or even “a colonial import”, but there are those few who have remained open minded about it.

In this slideshow, AFKInsider looks at what some leaders across Africa have said about the gay communities in their countries.

Sources: Mail & Guardian Africa, CNN, The Blaze, The New American, The Independent, Pink News, New York Times

mygov.go.ke
mygov.go.ke

William Ruto, Deputy President, Kenya

At a recent church gathering Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto, who’s got an on-going case on crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, was quoted saying: “We will not allow homosexuality in our society as it violates our religious and cultural beliefs. We will stand with religious leaders to defend our faith and our beliefs. There’s no room for homosexuality in this country. That one I can assure you.”

Youtube/NTVUganda
Youtube/NTV Uganda

Yoweri Museveni, President, Uganda

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, who passed an anti-homosexuality laws last year, told CNN in an interview that gay people were “disgusting” and what they did was “unnatural” and not a human right. “They’re disgusting. What sort of people are they?” he said. “I never knew what they were doing. I’ve been told recently that what they do is terrible. Disgusting. But I was ready to ignore that if there was proof that that’s how he is born, abnormal. But now the proof is not there.”

thenewamerican.com
thenewamerican.com

Senegal President Macky Sall

Senegalese President, Macky Sally, openly clashed with US President Barak Obama after Obama asked his country to decriminalize homosexuality during a visit in July 2013. “We are still not ready to decriminalize homosexuality,” Sall said. “We are in a Muslim country, so we certainly cannot have it here. And for me it’s not okay to have this anywhere in the world.”

247ureports.com
247ureports.com

Gambia president Yahya Jammeh

Gambian president Yahya Jammeh has a history of making harsh homophobic comments. In May 2014, Jammeh said he would “kill” anyone who cited the persecution of LGBTQ people as a reason for seeking asylum abroad. “Some people go to the West and claim they are gays and that their lives are at risk in the Gambia, in order for them to be granted a stay in Europe. If I catch them I will kill them.”

libertymalawi.wordpress.com
libertymalawi.wordpress.com

The Late President Bingu wa Mutharika of Malawi

In 2010, the late Malawian President Bingu Wa Mutharika pardoned two gay couples who had been sentenced  to 14-years in prison for “unnatural acts”. Muthrika releasedd them after being pressured by the United Nation General Secretary Ban Ki-moon who was on a visit to the country. In his speech Mutharika said: “These boys committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws,” before adding that he was only ordering the couple’s unconditional release on “humanitarian grounds.”

Photo:aspistrategist.org.au
Photo:aspistrategist.org.au

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe

Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe threatened to expel any diplomats who mention homosexuality  at a speech after his daughter’s wedding reception in April 2014. He said at the time: “Let Europe keep their homosexual nonsense there and live with it. We will never have it here. The act [homosexuality] is not humane. Any diplomat who talks about homosexuality will be kicked out. There is no excuse and we won’t listen to them.”

Photo: NehandaRadio
Photo: NehandaRadio

The Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, South Africa

The Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, is known of being very controversial and giving some borderline comments on issues. In 2012 he branded people in gay relationships as ‘rotten’. He said: “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same-sex relationships. There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.”

Photo copyright Eric Miller / World Economic Forum 2008 Africa Summit, Cape Town, 3 - 6 June 2008 emiller@iafrica.com Thabo Mbeki
Thabo Mbeki

Former President Thambo Mbeki, South Africa

Former South African President Thambo Mbeki was a lone voice against Uganda’s hash anti-gay law. He’s the only African leader that has openly supported gay people on the continent. When asked by what he thought about the plight of a lesbian woman seeking recognition of her divergent sexual orientation, Mbeki said: “sexual preferences are a private matter. I don’t think it is a matter for the state to intervene. What two consenting adults do is really not a matter for the law.”

escrowscandaltz.wordpress.com
escrowscandaltz.wordpress.com

Tanzania, Anglican Bishop Michael Hafidh

Hafidh said most African leaders would have preferred that Obama keep his opinions on homosexuality to himself and to focus on economic issues facing the continent. Homosexuality “is not an important issue for us now,” he said.  “We don’t recognize or even think of it, let alone its legalization. I think since we have a lot of resources, our discussions with the rest of the world should be more about investments and trade.”