Thanks to David Cameron Tsvangirai`s suddenly Changed it’s Tune on gays
HARARE — British Prime Minister David Cameron, who over the weekend threatened to withhold funding to countries that do not embrace homosexuality in their statutes, could have influenced Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to call for the inclusion of gay rights in the envisaged new Constitution, analysts have said.
The analysts contend that Mr Tsvangirai, widely perceived to advocate the advice of his last counsel, may have spoken to the British premier before going on the BBC’s Newsnight programme where he publicly embraced homosexuality.
The MDC-T leader’s shocking support for homosexuality raised eyebrows since he had, last year, publicly rebuked the sexual deviants.
Mr Cameron said his government was considering withholding aid to countries not recognising gay rights.
He said the British government was engaging African countries on the subject in a bid to persuade them to subscribe to homosexuality.
The MDC-T leader’s shocking support for homosexuality raised eyebrows since he had, last year, publicly rebuked the sexual deviants.
Mr Cameron said his government was considering withholding aid to countries not recognising gay rights.
He said the British government was engaging African countries on the subject in a bid to persuade them to subscribe to homosexuality.
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Cameron said: “Britain is now one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights, and that includes how people treat gay and lesbian people.
“British aid should have more strings attached, in terms of do you persecute people for their faith or their Christianity, or do you persecute people for their sexuality? We don’t think that’s acceptable,” he said.
“British aid should have more strings attached, in terms of do you persecute people for their faith or their Christianity, or do you persecute people for their sexuality? We don’t think that’s acceptable,” he said.
Mr Cameron said gay rights were discussed at the Commonwealth leaders’ summit in Australia last week, ironically the time Mr Tsvangirai went public with his pro-gay stance, adding that he had personally raised it with “a number of the African countries that I’ve been speaking with.”
“We’ve been raising the issue consistently, we’ve been raising it here at this Commonwealth heads of government (summit). They are in a different place from us on this issue. I think these countries are all on a journey and it’s up to us to try and help them along on that journey,” said Mr Cameron.
“We’ve been raising the issue consistently, we’ve been raising it here at this Commonwealth heads of government (summit). They are in a different place from us on this issue. I think these countries are all on a journey and it’s up to us to try and help them along on that journey,” said Mr Cameron.
Cameron: Yes that`s right, embrace the homo community to ensure we continue funding you.
PM Tsvangirai recently visited the UK where he was afforded a platform on BBC News to talk about gay rights.
He said he wanted to see gay rights enshrined in the envisaged new Constitution, a U-turn from his earlier statements last year when he publicly condemned homosexuality.
He said he wanted to see gay rights enshrined in the envisaged new Constitution, a U-turn from his earlier statements last year when he publicly condemned homosexuality.
Political analysts yesterday said it was not accidental that Mr Tsvangirai now fully supports homosexuality to an extent of wishing it enshrined in the constitution.
They suspect that Mr Cameron could have prevailed upon Mr Tsvangirai to make the U-turn.
They suspect that Mr Cameron could have prevailed upon Mr Tsvangirai to make the U-turn.
“It is possible that Morgan Tsvangirai could have been told by whites in the UK that part of their support to him would include him publicly supporting issues to do with gay rights in Zimbabwe. That could be the threat he was issued by the British and we all know that Tsvangirai has never been his own man,” said Mr Alexander Kanengoni.
“How can one support that which is not his culture. Culture is what defines you as a people and it is something we have to protect. Defending our culture means defending ourselves.”
Another political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said it was clear that Mr Tsvangirai was singing for his supper to win British support.
“How can one support that which is not his culture. Culture is what defines you as a people and it is something we have to protect. Defending our culture means defending ourselves.”
Another political analyst Mr Goodwine Mureriwa said it was clear that Mr Tsvangirai was singing for his supper to win British support.
“He has to toe the line and is aware that if he does not do so his party will not receive funding from the British. For how can one explain such a dramatic change by the Prime Minister from what he said a few months ago on homosexuality and what he is now saying today? Is it that the PM does read the situation on the ground? The people of Zimbabwe are anti-gay and the PM is fully aware of this but has chosen to sing for his supper,” he said.
Zanu-PF spokesperson Cde Rugare Gumbo said it was clear that the British were pushing Mr Tsvangirai to support gay rights in Zimbabwe.
“There is a clear link between what Cameron said and what Tsvangirai is now advocating, and it is not surprising. They (MDC-T) are sponsored by the British and the West and they have to toe the line. Failure to do so would cost them British support,” he said.
“There is a clear link between what Cameron said and what Tsvangirai is now advocating, and it is not surprising. They (MDC-T) are sponsored by the British and the West and they have to toe the line. Failure to do so would cost them British support,” he said.
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Cde Gumbo said ZANU-PF was not worried by the threat by the British to withhold aid on countries that are anti-gay.
“While Tsvangirai is singing his master’s song, as ZANU-PF we are not worried at all. We do not get any aid from the British. There are no benefits we are getting from the British. We do not depend on the British for our survival and we are not worried by their threats to withdraw aid. It is a threat to those African countries and political parties that receive British aid not us,” he said.
“While Tsvangirai is singing his master’s song, as ZANU-PF we are not worried at all. We do not get any aid from the British. There are no benefits we are getting from the British. We do not depend on the British for our survival and we are not worried by their threats to withdraw aid. It is a threat to those African countries and political parties that receive British aid not us,” he said.
During his tour of Matabeleland last Friday Mr Tsvangirai was met with placard waving villagers in Lupane and Tsholotsho denouncing homosexuality.
He later told a rally at Pashu Secondary School in Binga South, that he did not understand why people were making a fuss about his views on gays.
He later told a rally at Pashu Secondary School in Binga South, that he did not understand why people were making a fuss about his views on gays.
” I am not gay, but I will not persecute someone who wishes to make his or her own choice about their sexual orientation, it is their own business,” he said.
Gays and lesbians freely exist in Zimbabwe and are not persecuted, they are only prosecuted at law if they take their activities into the public domain since the constitution does not provide for same-sex unions.
Gays and lesbians freely exist in Zimbabwe and are not persecuted, they are only prosecuted at law if they take their activities into the public domain since the constitution does not provide for same-sex unions.
President Mugabe has consistently asserted, along with the generality of Zimbabweans, that homosexuality is an abomination.
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