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Chronicle Writer

VICE PRESIDENT Constantino Chiwenga has slammed the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ), an association of LGBTI people in the country, for luring and recruiting less privileged students into lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activities and malpractices by offering them educational scholarships.

GALZ flighted an advert dubbed “munhu-munhu scholarship” that is circulating on various social media inviting individuals who are LGBTI and aged between 18 and 35 years to apply for a scholarship to pursue a degree programme in democracy, governance, justice, human rights and conflict resolution studies.

The scholarship covers full tuition fees, stationary accommodation expenses and mentorship.

In a statement last night, VP Chiwenga said the Government strongly rejects and denounces unlawful, unchristian, anti-Zimbabwean, and unAfrican attempts by foreign interests to lure the less privileged students into LGBTI.

“The Government of Zimbabwe strongly and firmly rejects and denounces as unlawful, unchristian, anti-Zimbabwean and unAfrican insidious attempts by foreign interests to entice, lure and recruit, Zimbabwe’s less privileged but able students into lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender activities and malpractices through offers of educational scholarships,” he said.

VP Chiwenga said the Government has legislated against all such deviances, making any offers predicated on the same aberrations both unlawful and criminal, and a grave and gross affront to the national values and ethos since Zimbabwe is a Christian nation. 

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“To that end, Government sees such scholarship offers as a direct challenge to its authority, and thus will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to  enforce national laws to protect and defend national values,” said VP Chiwenga.

“Our schools and institutions of higher learning will not entertain applicants, let alone enroll persons associated with such alien, anti-life, un-African and unchristian values which are being promoted and cultivated by, as well as practised in decadent societies with whom we share no moral or cultural affinities.”

VP Chiwenga said Zimbabwe is a sovereign, African State with definite laws and values that typify it, cutting it apart from other mores. 

“Young Zimbabweans who qualify for enrolment into tertiary institutions here and elsewhere should approach Government departments tasked to give grants and scholarship support to deserving cases. They should never be tempted to trade or sell their souls for such abominable and devilish offers,” he said.

Same-sex marriage is banned by the Constitution and no explicit legal protections exist for LGBTI people.

Section 78 of the Constitution prohibits persons of the same sex from marrying each other while Section 73 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act outlaws same-sex relations under the “sodomy” and “indecent act” clauses.