PF advanced Homosexuality in Zambia- Mark Simuuwe
By Fulman Mukobeko
UPND Consultant and Governance Expert Mark Simuuwe says the fears that Zambians have that the ” New Dawn” Administration will copy Americans and introduce Lesbian Gays Bisexual Transgender Queer (LGBTQ) are being advanced by the opposition PF that have so many unanswered questions on what they did on the matter during their reign that spanned 10 years.
Appearing on Pan African Radio’s People’s Debate Programme, Mr Simuuwe who was in a combative mood said during the failed referendum in 2016, the PF inserted a clause in the draft that protected the rights of the minority rights “and for us, that gave rise to a question as to what their intention was”.
“In 2016, when we were amending the Constitution, alongside the Bill of Rights, it is the people of Zambia that collapsed it. Whether Edgar Lungu liked it or not. It is bene Edgar who put in a clause of protecting the rights of the minority,” he recalled.
Mr Simuuwe said the Zambian people had problems with the inclusion of the minority rights clause which was pushed in the Bill of Rights albeit Cabinet approval, especially that there is a clinic of homosexuals that was established at University Teaching Hospital(UTH).
“We had a problem with that clause. Especially that here is a President in the Cabinet who approves the establishment of the Hospital at UTH for homosexuals then they were pushing for such a clause. We rejected it. Now, what is strange is that they were not arresting people going there as patients. When you are a patient and arrive with a bullet, they will treat you but they will inform the police. That is the position of the law. If you break the law and you have Cancer that is associated with homosexuality, it gives rights for investigations. Have they told you how many people where investigated? How did they recruit specialised doctors for homosexuals quietly? How? Anything that Government does of that nature goes through Cabinet but has the media gone to them and asked how they managed to establish a hospital for homosexuals at UTH. How? “he asked.
Mr Simuuwe said gay rights can only be made rights through a referendum.
He said not even the President can make laws, saying Article 62, Sub Article 1,2,3 states that no other body, not even a person can make laws other than the Referendum.
” The fears that Zambians have were advanced by those people who have so many unanswered questions on what they did. I can safely tell the people of Zambia that nobody can amend the Bill of Rights because gay rights are referred to as rights through a referendum,” he said.
Asked by the presenter whether Zambia being an ally of the US where Homosexuality is fully practiced can make the act lawful, Mr Simuuwe quipped, “How many Zambians are living in South Africa because it(Homosexuality) is legalised in South Africa? You have the Embassy here, have you even protested? It is legalised. Women are marrying each other there. Kenya now has legalised it, are you going to close their Embassy? they are our allies.”
Mr Simuuwe said the way the global village operates is that things that bring people together are separated from those that do not which is called sovereignty.
The Governance Expert said Zambia has taken a posture of having the power to accept and to reject particular terms. .
” The question could be why US alone, what about South Africa? Are we going to close all these South African Malls operating in Zambia because they are coming from a country where a manager is a he and has lefthis madam who is a he in Durban?” Mr Simuuwe asked.