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over his recent utterances that he will defend gay rights.
While MPs including those from his own MDC-T party expressed concern over their leader’s stance to embrace gay rights, the PM tried to evade the issue saying there were more important matters to discuss.
He was adamant that his support for homosexuality did not matter because Zimbabweans will finally decide whether to include it or leave out of the new constitution.
The MDC-T’s position paper on the ongoing constitution-making process advocates that same sex marriages be protected in the constitution.
Responding to a question during the PM’s Question and Answer Session in the House of Assembly yesterday, PM Tsvangirai said it was up to Zimbabweans to decide what they wanted in the constitution.
MDC-T legislator for Bulawayo Central, Ms Dorcas Sibanda, asked Mr Tsvangirai to confirm if media reports that he had embraced gay rights were true.
“My personal view (embracing gay rights) does not matter. The people of Zimbabwe are writing the constitution in which they would like to define their society and who am I to question their wisdom if they decide to include the question of gay rights into the constitution?
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“As far as this is concerned, this is an elitist debate when people have no food, when people have no jobs and when people have so many problems.
“It is a diversionary attitude . . . If I may just try to implore that diverting from the real issue and putting this to the focus of the nation, is a real diversionary.
“There are more important issues to deal with. Let me say that perhaps I am speaking here kuda vamwe murimuno muringochani panapa,” he said.
However, some legislators kept interjecting saying his opinions mattered because he was an opinion leader.
Mr Tsvangirai has been flip-flopping over the issue of gay rights.
He told BBC News last week that he wanted to see gay rights enshrined in the envisaged new national constitution.
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PM Tsvangirai said gay rights were “human rights” that should be respected by all Zimbabweans.
Under the Bill of Rights on the MDC-T’s position paper, the party says: “In addition, the right to freedom from discrimination, given our history of discrimination and intolerance, must be broad to include the protection of personal preferences, that is gays and lesbians should be protected by the constitution.”
Zanu-PF’s position is that Zimbabwe should “not allow same-sex marriages as this is taboo in African culture and traditions. The Bible also forbids same-sex marriages. The constitution should specifically outlaw homosexuality, lesbianism, sodomy, etc”.
PM Tsvangirai had, sometime ago condemned gay relations saying he concurred with the President Mugabe’s views abhorring homosexuality. President Mugabe is on record condemning gays and lesbians on a number of occasions and once called them “worse than pigs and dogs”.
Both leaders have previously refused to embrace homosexuality in the constitution.
Homosexual acts are illegal in Zimbabwe, as in most African countries where many people view homosexuality as unChristian and unAfrican.
Mr Tsvangirai told BBC News that there was a “very strong cultural feeling” against homosexuality in Zimbabwe, but he would defend gay rights if he became president.
Ordinary Zimbabweans, community leaders and politicians have castigated Mr Tsvangirai for seeking to legalise alien cultures against the will of the people.
“I got the shock of my life to hear Mr Tsvangirai say that. As Zimbabweans we do not expect that from a leader at the level of the Prime Minister,” said Mr Winos Dube, the chairman for Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura).
“As the people, we have spoken eloquently about homosexuality. Even during the gathering of views for the constitution people made it clear that they do not want homosexuality.
“This is not acceptable and should not be tolerated. I for one echo President Mugabe’s remarks that gays are worse than pigs and dogs.”
MDC spokesperson, Mr Nhlanhla Dube, also castigated Mr Tsvangirai for seeking to sway public opinion on the issue.
He said Zimbabwe was going through a constitution-making process and advised the PM to stop “broadcasting his vitriolic” remarks.
“As a party we stand guided by the constitution of Zimbabwe and the wishes of the people not someone’s personal opinion. Let the people judge for themselves what their leader is like,” said Mr Dube.
“We have no space for personal opinions around issues. Zimbabwe is crafting a new constitution and the outcome will speak on such issues as homosexuality.”
Church leaders said homosexuality was against the Biblical teachings and described it as immoral.
“In the Old Testament times homosexuals were given a death sentence and it is sad that today’s leaders want to become popular by condoning evil practices,” said an elder from a local church who preferred anonymity.
Miss Bekezela Ncube from Emgawnini suburb described homosexuality as a dirty Western norm and said it was wrong for the MDC-T leader to defend it.
“Zimbabweans are proud of their culture and the talk of homosexuality is alien to us. It is an attempt to weaken our moral fabric. We are very disappointed to hear Mr Tsvangirai saying that,” she said.
Online Reporter