By Staff Reporter
I want answers from Hakainde Hichilema on who authorized ministries and government departments under his auspices to conduct a recent workshop for homosexuals and other wayward people through the University of Maryland of the United States of America (USA), opposition FDD leader Edith Nawakwi has charged.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Nawakwi said she wants to know the arrangements which exist between the Zambian government and the USA in relation to support through the University of Maryland in relation to training of the LGBTQ (homosexuals, trans-genders and other people who refuse to accept their sexual orientation) on their purported rights.
“I have always known that the University of Maryland, working with Ministry of Health have supported the government in malaria, HIV/AIDS and research. President Hakainde Hichilema should brief this country on what arrangements this government has authorized support for the training of LGBTQ under the organization called TRANSBANTU through the University of Maryland. This TRANSBANTU is an organization in Zambia which is a member organization of LGBTQ,” Nawakwi said. “Just yesterday, a training session at Dolphin in Mongu was concluded for transgender training over their perceived rights. And the reason I want the President to answer is that the trainers did not come from obscure organisations. They are from police, National Prosecutions Authority, I suppose they (LGBTQ) want to know if they will be arrested. There was the Ministry of Social and department of chiefs’ affairs. Now this group to gain legitimacy invited people from the royal establishment, who seemed puzzled at what was going on.”
Nawakwi said she wanted to know under whose seal such vices were being allowed in the country as the President has been publicly insisting that he does not support homosexuality.
“Jack Mwiimbu on the floor of the house said the LGBTQ also have their rights when he was asked why the UPND were getting money from the African Liberal Network. What the President is doing is cat and mouse where he publicly says something else and privately signing contracts with the United States government. Money can’t come in this country unless it’s under the signature of the minister of Finance. Even NGO money, by the way you are talking to the former minister of Finance,” she said.
Nawakwi said the next meeting has been earmarked for November 26 – December 10, in Lusaka, saying the other disturbing part was that this was also being done by co-opting the chiefs to disseminate the impression that homosexual activities have been welcomed by Zambians and the government alike.
She said according to the penol code, homosexuality is a crime in this country, wondering therefore why police officers and those from the prosecutions authority should be part of training homosexuals and trans-genders on their purported rights.
Nawakwi said those who attended were 50 altogether, with “men funnily wearing lipstick as the women made themselves appear like men”, adding that in Zambia it was hard to see the happenings of such vices with the collaboration of government institutions without support from the very top.
