President Hakainde Hichilema has never supported homosexuality, yet there has been some hope for gay rights in Zambia under his administration. Compared to the previous administration, the United Party for National Development (UPND) has been less stringent on the issue.
On May 17, 2022, the Swedish and Finnish Embassies in Lusaka flew the rainbow flag, symbolizing the LGBTQI+ movement, to celebrate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia. The new dawn administration tolerated this act, which would have likely strained relations under the previous Patriotic Front (PF) administration.
On March 31, 2023, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visited Zambia for two days and met with President Hichilema. She had previously met him in Washington D.C. shortly after he was elected. In March, a U.S. congressional delegation led by Senator Patty Murray of Washington, including Senators Chris Coons, Gary Peters, Catherine Cortez Masto, and Peter Welch, also visited Zambia and met with Hichilema. Given the Biden administration’s commitment to human rights, these visits have fueled hope for gay rights in Zambia.
Homosexuality remains a crime in Zambia, with harsh punishments recorded under the previous government. However, under Hichilema, no severe punishments related to homosexuality have been recorded, further boosting hope.
On August 18, 2024, Hichilema spoke at the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia (EFZ) 60th anniversary at Bread of Life Church in Lusaka. He addressed the issue of homosexuality, stating, “I want to reinforce the message here, that this country shall remain a Christian country.” This statement received thunderous applause, prompting Hichilema to repeat himself for emphasis.
“Limbi tamumfile bwinobwino (maybe you have not heard me very well). This country Zambia, shall remain a Christian country,” he reiterated, again receiving a strong reaction from the audience. He continued, “Am I talking to someone here? And this country will not support negative and unnatural sexual practices, that is it. We must not be shy to say what we believe in. We are African, we don’t support those things. We are Christians, we don’t support those things. I thought I should say it loud and clear here.”
EFZ, established in 1964, aims to empower and mobilize evangelical churches and mission agencies for the effective evangelization and transformation of Zambia. The audience’s reaction to Hichilema’s speech highlighted the organization’s strong opposition to homosexuality.
Time will tell if this stance will completely extinguish hope for gay rights in Zambia. Many defenders of these rights live in the diaspora, where exposure has led them to believe there is nothing wrong with gay rights. They argue that Zambia can remain a Christian nation while respecting gay rights, just as Christians coexist peacefully with other religious groups.
The growing population of Zambians in the diaspora, driven by injustice, lack of freedom of expression, unemployment, and high living costs, suggests that support for gay rights is increasing. This implies that hope for gay rights in Zambia remains alive despite the challenges.
By Venus N Msyani
You are not on your own on this one.
Iwe Anus Msyani,
Why write about your sexual affairs on sabbath? Disgusting.
Ba HH is happily married, and he doesn’t mind about your fellow boyfriend you spent night with. Or that Gaygay Banda has 4 wives, 2 women and 2 men.
ARCHAIC THINKING
But then thats our African problem
I think all citizens are fully aware about the president’s stand on this by now. So, going forward, I would rather he exercises emotional intelligence and just lay low. When western countries want to plunder your economy, they will distract you with non-issues and then make away with all they want while you’re fighting unnecessary fires.
Will we Africans ever understand the meaning of INVESTORS
They here to make money for the share holders
If bad deals are set up by our GRZ
Who is to blame GRZ or the Investor
When addressing the church he’s anti gay… but…
Iwe Mulenga what happened to you? We surely don’t need this nonsense from western countries. Zambia has more placing matters than this nonsense.
I think Zambians have more serious problems to worry about than these gay issues ….these are tough on the ground and its getting worse….for those of us who are in the diaspora i think we should try to do something and help our country in any way we can…..
And i agree 100% ,we need schools,jobs ,healthcare,housing etc. Gays can burn in hell bcuz it ain’t in Zambia.
It’s a lie that Zambians in diaspora “support gay rights.” No they don’t. Homosexuality will remain a Western decadent lifestyle that’s foreign to African culture and tradition. And not every Westerner supports this decadent lifestyle. So stop trying to push this Western lifestyle on Zambians. If HH ever tries to promote this lifestyle, he’ll have to be voted out, just on this issue. No compromise.
You need to base such positions on more than just culture. Culture changes. The sympathy for gay rights was largely driven by AIDS in the 1980s when thousands of gaymen infected with HIV died. In zambia and Africa, the disease was among Herero sexuals with women being affected most these days. I don’t think there will ever be a moment when the same level of sympathy will emerge in Zambia. BUT as more gay relationships are shown on our TVs, exhibited openly in bars etc the younger generation will become desensitized and become more accepting of gay behavior. ‘Anti Grayson’ needs to be voiced by the populous and not just politicians. Let’s stay vigilant
Let’s make it abundantly clear ,our laws against homosexuality is forged in steel and reinforced concrete. Its a none starter and absolutely unaccepted till the end of time (meaning 7 billion yrs more until the sun /universe implodes)
Bollocks
“make it abundantly clear, our laws against homosexuality is forged in steel and reinforced concrete”
Kikikikikiki
You mean forged in Westminster?