Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe Caused Quite The Stir At The UN General Assembly With An Anti-Gay Speech: “We Are Not Gays”

The African continent continues to fixate on a segment of the populace who would otherwise be productive members of society, whilst the obvious bigger problems facing our populace continue to be gleefully ignored.

Amazingly enough, each time any leader starts barking against the call for gay rights, the entire populace raise themselves up in support; falling over each other to congratulate said leader for standing up to the nefarious west trying to impose their agenda on Africa.

Yet when it comes to the important aspects, multinational deals and ensuring the best for the continent, you see the absence of spine, and the continent keeps getting screwed over. It really boggles the mind.

After Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta took all the plaudits for ‘standing up’ to Obama, it’s the turn of the beloved Uncle Bob, who in typical fashion took his act to the world stage; the UN General Assembly. It was a fascinating speech if nothing else.

Speaking against the worldwide movement towards equal rights for the LGBT community, Mugabe rejected the attempts of the West to impose it on the African continent.

The Zimbabwean president said the UN Charter guarantees human rights, but does not put any nation up in judgement others.

“Respecting and upholding human rights is the obligation of all states, and is enshrined in the UN charter,” the 91 year old said

“Nowhere does the charter arrogate the right to some to sit in judgement over the other in carrying out this universal obligation.

“In that regard, we reject the politicisation of this important issue and the application of double standards to victimize those who dare think and act independently of the self-anointed prefects of our time.

“We equally reject attempts to prescribe new rights that are contrary to our norms, values, traditions and beliefs. We are not gays. Cooperation and respect for each other will advance the cause of human rights worldwide. Confrontation, vilification and double standards will not”

 

Robert Mugabe fails spectacularly in even keeping to the spirit of what he’s saying with his remarks before the Assembly. He has, like some other African leaders in the past, used vile language against gays, whilst having laws on the books that restrict the lives of people of this orientation. Even when there aren’t explicit laws prohibiting being gay, society takes care of it; with lynchings, stigmatisation. etc

So he cannot give this speech pretending he agrees with the spirit of the UN charter, it’s just that he does not think human rights apply to gays. What are homos*xuals, if not human? At least according to Uncle Bob they are worse than ‘pigs’ and ‘dogs’.

Besides I’m not even sure there is a case to be made of any outside country interfering with African government’s obstinate refusal to follow this worldwide trend. It is a movement that has legs on its own, and it is gaining ground.

Once again we have a myriad of problems to deal with on this continent, the rush to portray ourselves studiously anti-gay is not worth the effort. Working towards giving equal opportunities for advancement to everyone is what we need.

Our leaders do not deserve applause when they portray themselves as fighting for the oppression of a class of people; they do when they stand up against the continued oppression and exploitation of the African- whether it is done by our people or by the outsider.