Human rights organizations and activists have condemned the continued victimization of LGBTQ and intersex people in Zambia.
Anti-LGBTQ and intersex sentiments have been gaining momentum in recent weeks, including Dr. Brian Sampa’s #banbeardtobeard campaign in relation to gay couples.
Alick Banda, the archbishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lusaka, and other Zambian religious leaders have also echoed these sentiments.
“In the last 12 months, we have witnessed an increase in the number of incidents and events that promote LGBTQ tendencies contrary to the laws of Zambia and our Zambian culture. Additionally, there has been an increase in the number of incidents of sodomy where boys and men are raped by fellow boys and men with impunity,” said Rev. Banda on Sept. 25.
“We have witnessed several cases of sodomy and homosexuality on the increase in our society much to the displeasure and disapproval of the general public. Unfortunately, the law enforcement agents and the president who took an oath to protect the Constitution seems to be paying a blind eye. The question that begs an answer is, is it by design or by default.”
Consensual same-sex sexual relations remain criminalized in Zambia.
President Hakainde Hichilema last month reiterated his government does not support LGBTQ and intersex rights in response to Sampa’s protest.
The Global Interface Network, a global NGO that promotes safety and inclusion for all people of faith and especially for people who suffer discrimination because of their sexual orientation, criticized Rev. Banda’s comments.
“The statement by the archbishop has the potential to further escalate violence and we are deeply concerned for the wellbeing and safety of members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Zambia,” said the Global Interface Network in a statement it released on Sept. 26.
“Religious leaders are the shepherds of their flocks and have a responsibility to provide guidance, care and support to the faith community. Although we understand that for the Archbishop of Lusaka, same sex sexualities and non-normative gender identities are unfamiliar, we do not believe that it is appropriate, especially in a context in which people are already marginalized and subjected to violence and discrimination, for the archbishop to put his stamp of approval on further violence.”
The Global Interface Network in its statement encouraged Rev. Banda and the country’s Catholic Church “to enter into a process of fellowship and discernment alongside 2SLGBTQIA+ people of faith and skilled dialogue facilitators in Zambia and to collectively grow in the mission to offer compassion, care and love to the most vulnerable.”
“The people of Zambia, just as it is the people of the African continent, deserve an opportunity to see humanity beyond heterosexuality,” it said.
“That opportunity has the potential for a reclamation of the African people’s history of dealing with diversity, an opportunity of understanding beyond the common narrative of dehumanization.”
Mino, a Zambian LGBTQ and intersex activist, said Sampa has been sharing misleading information on his social media platforms that has influenced religious leaders and others across the country.
“The leader of this ban homosexuality movement has jumped from one cause to the other without success and unfortunately, this has seen him get heavy backing from people who share similar religious views. The whole thing has not been objective, the information he is disseminating is highly inaccurate, and full of untruths about 2SLGBTQIA+ persons. Sadly, the church and in a way the State has also jumped on this bandwagon,” said Mino.
“Nevertheless, despite the current situation facing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community in Zambia, it is my hope that this opens a balanced dialogue of issues of sexuality and gender,” added Mino.
“People must have accurate information on who we are as people and begin to see us as human beings with lives, families, interests, jobs, struggles, just like any other person as currently the 2SLGBTQIA+ community has been reduced to being only sexual beings and cannot be seen beyond that.”
Hh will address such things by supporting them at the UN meeting and taking notes. Very disgusting behaviour. We sew it here in the UK and the damage it is doing to this society. Don’t follow everything whlte man does
The cultural war us heating up. Those that hold our leaders beholden are starting to push their agenda.
And it’s going to take a lot of courage to resist. The sad thing though, is that our young people are being indoctrinated via movies, series, social media, news outlets like CNN and BBC and the Internet in general, to make them think homosexuality and similar pervasion are normal, and refusing them is being bigoted.
Beware Zambia. Those of us who are older are deceived into thinking our young people are with us. But we have a lost generation coming behind us.
One thing I appreciated about ECL was his firm, outspoken, and uncompromising stand on this pervasion of nature. Not to steal from all the good that HH has done, but in his term so far, we have seen the so called “gay…
Like you I do appreciate and support the outspoken opposition of Lungu to homosexuality. I have no doubt that HH, who went to UNZA at the same time as I did, also opposes homosexuality, at least as much. Here is the problem. Lungu sold Zambia to the same people who are pushing for the country to open itself to the spread of homosexuality. Lungu borrowed US $25 billion from the Western countries and their agents in Zambia. He borrowed only $6 billion from the Chinese. This enormous debt burden caused the Zambian economy to collapse, for our country to be the first to default on its foreign debt last year, while Lungu was still in power. The debts Lungu and Sata sold the country out on are of the worst possible kind. These debts are unpayable, and HH has had to go cap in hand to the West to…
2)..continued… Some of these debts are not Kaloba. They are like the rent of a house. You pay a rental fee on them for 10 years, but the principle amount you borrowed does not reduce. Sata borrowed 3 of these horrible debts. The first was for $1.2 billion, in 2011. The second for $1 billion in 2012. The third was for $750 million in 2014. Sata actually wanted $2 billion on the last one, but the loan sharks issuing those Eurobonds refused. They knew that Zambia was hooked on more debt than it could pay, and upon default, they would make it do what they wanted. The $1.2 billion one of horrible debts required Zambia to pay $12 million a month for 10 years, totalling $1.44 billion over that period. At the end of the period, Zambia would have to pay back the entire $1.2 billion it had…
3).. The second one required Zambia to pay $10 million a month for 10 years, totalling $1.2 billion, after which the entire $1 billion principle would be due in payment. The third required Zambia to pay $7.5 million a month for 10 years, totalling $800 million, after which Zambia would be required to pay the entire $750 million in total. The first one matured last year, and Zambia defaulted on that $1.2 billion payment. The second one matures this year, and again Zambia will default on that $1 billion payment. The last one matures in 2024 and at that time, Zambia will be due a payment of $750 million. The total amount of the 3 loans ins $1.2 + $1 + $0.7= $2.75 billion borrowed. The amount of rent to be paid is $1.44 + $1 + $0.8=$3.24 billion. The total amount Zambia has to pay back is $2…
4).. Again, remember, after 10 years, the entire principle amount borrowed is due in 1 payment. These are the worst sorts of financial instruments, and they are given to resource rich countries like Zambia for one reason only: the countries to default, and debtor to demand whatever he wants a a result. In the case of Zambia, we have seen our mining royalties slashed in the last two weeks. before. We will soon see the scrapping of fuel and fertiliser subsidies. The effect of the first will be to wreck the urban economy; that of the second the rural one, It would have been different if the $31 billion Sata and his nephew Lungu borrowed has been invested in profitable enterprises, but the loans were associated with roads, bridges and other non-revenue generating projects that are opaque to…
5) ..This is the Zambia HH inherited: broke, deeply indebted, unable to meet its domestic obligations and unable to pay its debts. As the sharks were out for their pounds of flesh, HH had to run to the IMF to try and restrain them. HH was forced to make all kinds of bitter concessions to the foreign businesses in the country. The Europeans were delighted, Joe Biden even agreed to meet him after the 2021 UN General Assembly meeting. However, HH would not voice support for homosexuality. Joe Biden refused to meet HH and sent HIM Kamala Harris instead. In place of the robust debt relief package HH was seeking, Biden gave him $20 or $30 million, and let him come back home to Zambia more or less empty handed. HH therefore is walking a tight rope. In order to repair the Zambian economy, he has…
6… In order to repair the Zambian economy, HH has to get the loan sharks off his back. In order to do this, he has to secure the support of the Western governments. However, the Western governments are demanding that he legalise homosexuality. What HH has done is to refuse to do this. At the same time, he has avoided antagonising these people, to whom Zambia was sold by Sata and Lungu, via the $31 billion debt trap, by more forcefully objecting to homosexuality. In stead of blaming him, Alick Nkhata can help HH by rooting out the white Catholic priests who are the original source of homosexuality in our country. The ministry of home affairs can also look into the influx of the Lebanese brought into the country by Chiluba, who increased the spread of homosexuality.
continued…..One thing I appreciated about ECL was his firm, outspoken, and uncompromising stand on this pervasion of nature. Not to steal from all the good that HH has done, but in his term so far, we have seen the so called “gay pride” flag flown in foreign embassies and government justifying it. We have seen increase in voices that are supporting this evil should be openly accepted. We have seen unheard of things, like men being raped. We have seen open display of the homosexuality behavior like at the July event. While clergy have spoken out, the young people are silent, because to them its totally ok.
Could it be that people have assumed that our new government will be tolerant of this vice? Is it that our leaders are so scared of the people that control our economy that they…
continued…..One thing I appreciated about ECL was his firm, outspoken, and uncompromising stand on this pervasion of nature. Not to steal from all the good that HH has done, but in his term so far, we have seen the so called “pride” flag flown in foreign embassies and government justifying it. We have seen increase in voices that are supporting this evil should be openly accepted. We have seen unheard of things, like men being r*ped We have seen open display of the homose*uality behavior like at the July event. While clergy have spoken out, the young people are silent, because to them its totally ok.
Could it be that people have assumed that our new government will be tolerant of this vice? Is it that our leaders are so scared of the people that control our economy that they will…
Could it be that people have assumed that our new government will be tolerant of this vice? Is it that our leaders are so scared of the people that control our economy that they will sacrifice a nations morals for the bread crumbs that fall from the masters table?
Zambia us at crossroads. It’s time to stand firm and right the ship, because once it starts to veer left there is no way back.
Mark my words
Trying hard to keep this useless issue in the news.
Right now the country is reacting to
1) The rescue of the 13 abducted and how the police are and handling the investigations
2) The security of cross border truckers going into the DRC through Kasumbalesa.
It was in the law of Moses that lepers should be kept away from society because they were considered unclean. Jesus said no to this. He preached love and tolerance. He also said judge not so that you are not judged. In the end he was killed by those who had appointed themselves as enforcers of the law on behalf of God. Read Pope Francis response on this issue…who am I to charge them? It is between them and God”. Make your choice.
You cannot separate the law of Moses from the words of Jesus. Jesus came to fulfill the law of Moses. He said so himself.
This attempt to separate Jesus from the old testament is a result of a lack of understanding of the bible. Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law, and that all the writings of the law and the prophets where about HIM. So let’s not use the bible to try and justify what is evil.
On Jesus being killed…..he said that was part of his mission. So that he could take the punishment of sinners that he may gain forgiveness from the guilt and consequences of sin. And the beauty is that the story doesn’t end with his death. It proceeds to his resurrection, ascension and his coming return.
Jesus is not a pitiful moral teacher who was killed for his ideas. He is God…
So let’s not Pitt Jesus. Instead pity those that, rather than turn to Jesus to save them from their sinful lifestyles, choose to hold on to their sins and want the whole world to affirm their unnatural behavior.
Please do not use the words of Jesus to justify evil. You are putting yourself under a lot of risk. The same God who in the old testament destroyed sodom and gomorrah for their homosexuality will send ALL sinners to everlasting punishment. Beware that you do not find yourself on that list
Don’t misinterpret what the Pope said…he only called for us to have sympathy he doesn’t support homo.
The whole alphabet will be kidnapped. kikikikikikikiki
WHICH DEMONS ARE THESE NGO’S REPRESENTING? I ZAMBIA WE WILL NEVER ALLOW THESE DISGUSTING THINGS TO HAPPEN HERE. ZAMBIA HAS SO MANY LANGUAGES AND DIVERSE CULTURES SO TO EASILY TRY AND PENETRATE IN ALL THESE WILL BE LIKE A TICKING BOMB……..NEVER HERE IN ZAMBIA YOU EVIL SPIRITS. WE WILL NOT JUST VICTIMISE THEM BUT ………………………….FOOLS!
REMEMBER IF THERE IS ANY POLITICAL PARTY SUPPORTING YOUR FOOLISHNESS, POLITICAL POWER IS TEMPORAL BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE. GO TAKE THAT MADNESS SOMEWHERE ELSE.
CONTINUE TO RESIST THIS DEVILISH ACTS ZAMBIANS. THIS COUNTRY DOES NOT BELONG TO POLITICAL PARTIES BUT TO US THE MASSES. SOME OF THEM HAVE BEEN PAID TO PROPAGATE THESE IMMORAL ACTS LIKE IN SODOM AND GOMORRAH AND IF WE DON’T STOP THESE FOOLS, GOD WILL BE ANGRY WITH US TOO. LET US ALL…
You cannot separate the law of Moses from the words of Jesus. Jesus came to fulfill the law of Moses. He said so himself.
This attempt to separate Jesus from the old testament is a result of a lack of understanding of the bible. Jesus said that he came to fulfill the law, and that all the writings of the law and the prophets where about HIM. So let’s not use the bible to try and justify what is evil.
On Jesus being killed…..he said that was part of his mission. So that he could take the punishment of sinners that he may gain forgiveness from the guilt and consequences of sin. And the beauty is that the story doesn’t end with his death. It proceeds to his resurrection, ascension and his coming return.
Jesus is not a pitiful moral teacher who was killed for his ideas. He is God…
You so called human Rights groups, do not contaminate and distort God’s people by working as agents of evil. A human being has no rights except the ones granted to him by his Creator. Your advocacy and activism for abominable deeds and disoriented, deformed life styles originate from Satan the one who opposes and distorts or tarnishes any thing good that God the Creator has made. You sound so stubborn and arrogant in your efforts to work against God your Creator, it so sad and amazing. As you work to promote some good here and there which is your cover, you along with that drive in very destructive things which is your main purpose. You and your masters are Anti Christs. We have many sins to repent of and we dare not go to an extreme of adding more grievous sins, such as the sins of…
Lets take a leaf from countries where this vice has been allowed to take root ;
1. if you call someone a man who identifies himself as a woman you get arrested.
2.A man who identified himself as a woman took part in swimming competition and broke records. Women who complained of unfair competition have to argue their case.
3.Pastors are required to administer marriages of gay couples, or else get arrested.
4.The gay couples are allowed to adopt children, ironic that they know their behavior prevents childbirth.
5. Parent’s have been stripped of their authority over their children. A little boy can just decid that he wants to become a girl and the sytem will support him against his parents. Let;s keep it the vice away from our beloved country and help those who are victims of…
Why this homo sexuality agenda being shoved down our throats kanshi? Let them condemn about human rights cos we also condemn same sex acts and we’re not forcing other countries to go this way . How do you condemn something that is Illegal? NO to HOMOSEXUALITY period.