mdc promises free zimbabwe that includes gays

By Nthateng Mhlambiso (BTM Senior Reporter)

ZIMBABWE – May 14, 2008: A positive twist towards human rights for Zimbabwean citizens, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community, seems imminent if elections favour the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

While President Robert Mugabe has over the years condemned homosexuality in Zimbabwe, MDC spokeperson Nelson Chamisa revealed that the his organisation will build a new Zimbabwe for all its citizens irrespective of their social associations or even sexual orientation.

Chamisa, however, included that individual choices should be defined by societal norms, consideration and the national feelings of the country.

“Our vision is to build a Zimbabwe that has sufficient space and comfort for all”, he explained.

While the LGBTI organisations in Zimbabwe are not sure if it’s just a lip service to garner support, they have raised concerns about the present state of governance in relation to homosexuality and explained why these elections are important to them.

“Since the problems and sufferings facing LGBTI people are the same as those facing the majority of Zimbabweans, these elections are obviously of great importance to us. Our greatest hope is that the outcome is free and fair since it is vital that Zimbabwe gets back its feet”, a Zimbabwean LGBTI activist said.

He added that his organisation is completely non-partisan and it encourages members to register and vote. “However, I doubt that any self respecting lesbian or gay person would want to vote for Mugabe given his record of hate speech about gays. Do turkeys vote for Christmas?”, he questioned.

The activist added that although Mugabe is on record as saying that everyone in Zimbabwe has rights except gays; “he has never said that he does not want our votes.

We believe that although conditions for a free and fair elections do not exist, the opposition has to be admired for its tough and determined campaigning”, he said.

Meanwhile, a South African LGBTI organisation, the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project (LGEP) is concerned about what it termed a ‘democratic crisis in Zimbabwe’.

In her16 April press statement, Director of LGEP Phumi Mthetwa said the Zimbabwean government is responsible for social and economic crises facing that country.

“The homophobia promoted by ZANU-PF is not divorced from the oppression of women, the exploitation of workers and the gross violation of human rights that the same government has been responsible for. Beyond majority numbers, democracy is also about progressive values of equality, freedom, human rights and non-discrimination”, she said.

She also expressed solidarity with the lesbians, gay men, women, workers and all the people of Zimbabwe at this time and urged them to be involved in the struggle for democracy.

“We call on the lesbian and gay community in Zimbabwe to emerge and add their principled voice in the struggle for democracy, freedom and equality”, urged her.

Presently all eyes are on the Zimbabwean Electoral Commission (ZEC) to announce the date for the controversial election run-off following the 2 May official results that showed MDC’s Morgan Tsvangirai winning with 47.9% with Mugabe trailing at 43.2%.

It remains to be seen whether the MDC will recognise and protect the rights of LGBTI people in that country even after 28 years of Mugabe’s rule which despised the rights of this marginalised community.