Chronicle Reporter
As the nation joins in celebrating President Robert Mugabe’s 93rd birthday, it will always reflect on his unwavering Christian belief that homosexuality has no place in Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole.

This character trait still stands even at his coming age as he continues to stand for what is right although other countries think otherwise.

In 2015 Cde Mugabe rejected calls from the United Nations to implement gay rights in Zimbabwe and still stands by the decision today.

At one of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, Cde Mugabe said upholding human rights is the obligation of all member states, but vehemently rejected the imposition of what he called “new rights” for gay marriage that had been advocated elsewhere in the world.

“We equally reject attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our norms, values, traditions and beliefs. We are not gays. Co-operation and respect for each other will advance the cause of human rights worldwide. Same-sex marriages have no place in Africa. Such behaviour is worse than pigs and dogs,” said Cde Mugabe.

The Chronicle interviewed Catholic Vicar General for the Archdiocese of Bulawayo Father (Fr) Hlakanipha Dube who said they are grateful as a congregation that the Government supports biblical teachings.

Fr Dube said Cde Mugabe is God-fearing and understands the Catholic doctrine.

He said this is evident through some of the Government policies that are in line with Christian values.

“According to the Catholic church, homosexuals close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from a genuine affective and sexual complementarity. The church teaches that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, and opposes introduction of both civil and religious same-sex marriage.

“The Church also holds that same-sex unions are an unfavourable environment for children and that the legalisation of such unions is harmful to society,” he said.

Fr Dube said apart from condemning homosexuality, Cde Mugabe has supported the sanctity of marriage through emphasising on one man one woman                           unions.

He said he was grateful that the government recognises Catholic Priests as official marriage officers.

“The Roman Catholic Church teaching states that marriage is a faithful, exclusive and lifelong union between one man and one woman joined as husband and wife in an intimate partnership of life and love.

“This union was established by God with its own proper laws. By reason of its very nature, therefore, marriage exists for the mutual love and support of the spouses and for the procreation and education of children. These two purposes, the unitive (love-giving) and the procreative (life-giving), are equal and inseparable,” said Fr Dube.

The Vicar General said the government has supported the Catholic Church in its mandate to teach by being a supportive stakeholder in catholic schools.

Catholic education includes all the deliberate, systematic, and sustained efforts of the Church community, in both formal and informal educational settings, to develop the skills, knowledge, and values needed for life. In today’s pluralistic society, the Church offers the harmonising perspective of faith to human culture and history.

“Catholic education sees all knowledge as sacred when human insight is combined with divine revelation in the pursuit of truth, goodness and beauty,” he said.

 

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