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as the practice is against the laws and culture of the country, the Minister of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development, Dr Ignatius Chombo, said yesterday.
Addressing hundreds of villagers during the installation of Vusumuzi Nicodmus Mabhikwa in Jotsholo, Lupane, as Chief Mabhikwa Khumalo, Dr Chombo said Zimbabweans should oppose homosexuality in the strongest terms and urged chiefs to take a leading role in fighting against same-sex marriages.
“The chiefs are there to protect and promote our cultural values and those who support same sex marriages must be banished from the communities and be dispossessed of their land. What kind of madness is this that when we have beautiful women in our country some people want to marry other men,” he said.
“Chiefs have denounced homosexuality and who are you to endorse it.”
He castigated the MDC-T for seeking to smuggle homosexuality into the new constitution and urged Zimbabweans to guard against its endorsement.
“The views you raised during the constitution outreach programme are there in Harare and they are written down. The problem is that our colleagues in Government want to change your views and include foreign values.
“I want to assure you that people’s views will be protected in the new constitution. Zimbabweans spoke eloquently about same sex marriages but the MDC-T want to smuggle the issue in order to please their Western masters,” said Dr Chombo to thunderous applause from the gathering.
“In the past weeks we saw Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai getting his lover and what kind of madness we have for calling for homosexuality. This is the problem we have about the constitution. We hope in the next few weeks the draft constitution will be out for people to see it. After the referendum we go for elections.”
Dr Chombo advised the youthful chief to be a good leader who would lead by example and show prudence in the execution of his duties.
He also urged villagers to support the new chief and respect him.
Chief Vusumuzi Mabhikwa was born on 24 September 1993 in Bulawayo.
He was based in South Africa and only came back to take over as chief.
Chief Mabhikwa is a descendant of the royal Khumalo family that is traced back to King Lobengula.
The new chief is a son to the late Chief Edwin Mabhikwa Khumalo who died in 2006.
Edwin took over from his father Mabhikwa who was killed by unknown assailants in 1983.
The chieftainship lineage is traced back to the first Chief Tulwane who was succeeded by Chief Mlonyeni and thereafter Chief Sibuzo who died in 1928.
Chief Sibuzo did not have a son and hence his brother Mabhikwa took over and ruled up to 1983.
Speaking at the same occasion Matabeleland North Governor and Resident Minister Thokozile Mathuthu said homosexuality was the worst curse on earth and equated it to the Biblical Sodom and Gomorrah, which were destroyed by fire for embracing same sex marriages.
“Homosexuality is an abomination before God and Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because of it. It is a disgusting practice and Zimbabweans should oppose it,” she said.
Chief Gampu Sithole of Tsholotsho also condemned homosexuality and vowed that chiefs would not tolerate the practice.
“As traditional leaders we are there to protect cultural values and it is our duty to promote them because it is these values that define us. As chiefs we are very clear on homosexuals. We denounce them. It would be shocking and embarrassing for a chief to endorse same sex marriages,” said Chief Gampu.
“I agree with Minister Chombo that those who support homosexuality should be expelled from our communities and their land forfeited.”
Pomp and fanfare dominated the proceeding as villagers and members of the royal Khumalo family and Government officials sang and danced in honour of the new chief. The event was also attended by the descendant of King Lobengula, Prince Peter Zwide Kalanga Khumalo, Zapu president Dr Dumiso Dabengwa, the president of the Chiefs Council, Fortune Charumbira and his deputy Chief Mtshane Khumalo of Bubi, Lupane West MP Martin Khumalo, Lupane State University acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Maclean Bhala and Matabeleland North Provincial Administrator Ms Latiso Dlamini.
Online Reporter