A proposal by Zambian football
authorities to ban discrimination
against gays and lesbians has kicked off
a dispute over homosexuality, which is
illegal in the country and widely seen as
immoral.
The new draft constitution of the
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ)
contains a clause banning
discrimination on grounds of sexual
orientation, in line with regulations
from world governing body FIFA.
But Zambian church leaders and senior
football figures have attacked the
proposal as undermining the country’s
devout Christian beliefs, which are
protected by the national constitution.
Zambia does not implicitly ban
homosexual sex, but it outlaws “carnal
knowledge of any person against the
order of nature”.
“Zambia is a Christian nation and any
instructions from FIFA which will
conflict with Christianity are not
welcome,” former FAZ executive
committee member Masha Chilemena
told AFP.
“The FAZ cannot go against what is
stipulated in the law of the land.
“If FIFA is to impose sanctions on
Zambia, we will play in the local
league.”
International Federation of Christian
Churches (IFCC) president Simon
Chihana told AFP that if FAZ agreed to a
clause banning discrimination against
gays it would be “inviting the wrath of
God”.
“We are a blessed nation and we cannot
allow an individual or institution to
bring the happenings of Sodom and
Gomorrah here,” he said.
– Illegal in much of Africa –
Zambian President Edgar Lungu, who
was re-elected last year, has spoken out
strongly against gay rights, despite
pressure from donor countries that
provide essential aid to the country.
“Those advocating gay rights should go
to hell… That issue is foreign to this
country,” he said after the arrest of two
Zambian gay men in 2013.
The two men, who faced 14 years in
prison if convicted, were acquitted the
following year after more than a year
in jail.
Amnesty International said the accused
were subjected to forcible anal
examinations by government doctors
seeking evidence of sexual activity.
Homosexuality is punishable by the
death penalty in Mauritania, Sudan and
some parts of Nigeria and Somalia, and
is also illegal in 30 other African
countries.
FAZ general secretary Ponga Liwewe
said that the association would ensure
its new constitution was not against
Zambian law, stressing that the
document was still at its draft stage.
“When it is finalised, it will reflect the
laws of the country and the law of
football so that there will be no conflict
between the two,” Liwewe told AFP.
Human rights campaigners called on
FAZ to take a stand against
discrimination, with the Engender
Rights Centre for Justice group accusing
evangelical churches of waging an anti-
gay crusade.
“It is overzealous people, mostly
Pentecostal movements, that are
misleading the government and the
masses,” said ERCJ project coordinator
Paul Kasonkomona, who was arrested
and acquitted four years ago after he
appeared on television calling for
homosexual relationships to be
decriminalised.
“The constitution says the rights of all
should be respected, so let the rights of
the minority be respected,” he said.
“I don’t think FAZ should feel that they
are doing something wrong, they are
not asking people to have sex. It’s not a
sin to be gay.”
