THE Gays and Lesbian Zimbabwe (GALZ) has condemned threats against its members as well as vandalism of its property in Harare on Monday by a group of homophobes.
According to witnesses, approximately 20 people arrived at the centre at around 3:30pm chanting slogans against homosexuality.
They were waving placards inscribed with anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBTI) messages.
The group then painted hateful graffiti on the association’s office walls.
In a statement, GALZ director Chester Samba condemned the vandalism of the property and intimidation of their members.
“While we respect differences in values, it is utterly unacceptable to deploy acts of vandalism and intimidation against communities which hold different values,” Samba said.
“This act of violence has not been committed in isolation; it is a stark reminder of the ongoing discrimination and hostility that our community faces.”
Samba urged “religious and political leaders to condemn such acts of hate and to uphold the constitutional rights and freedoms for all citizens protected by law regardless of their diverse backgrounds including sexual orientation, gender identity and expression”.
- GALZ condemns attack by homophobes
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“We encourage Zimbabweans to resort to open and respectful dialogue to address differences,” he said.
Samba said GALZ was committed to its mission of promoting equality and human rights for all LGBTI individuals in Zimbabwe.
“GALZ remains steadfast on its mission to ensure LGBTI people are treated as equal citizens in Zimbabwe and attempts to deny our existence will not discourage us from advocating for our rights.”
The late former President Robert Mugabe was a fierce critic of homosexuals and was known for making homophobic statements.
Under Mugabe’s tenure, the LGBTI faced rights violations such as physical assault, hate speech, intimidation, torture and raids from both State and non-State actors.
In 2018, authorities allowed the LGBTI community and sex workers to exhibit at the country’s premier trade showcase, the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair in Bulawayo.
GALZ was founded in 1990 for purposes of serving the needs and interests of the LGBTI community. The Constitution guarantees rights such as equality and non-discrimination, but is silent on specific rights for the LGBTI community.
Zimbabwe criminalises same-sex relations, but that has not stopped GALZ from engaging the clergy, lawyers and traditional leaders, among other stakeholders, to raise awareness on issues relating to their members to correct the stereotypes.
