Vice President Constantino Chiwenga of Zimbabwe has categorically rejected and denounced what he deems as foreign attempts to entice Zimbabwean students into LGBTQ+ activities through educational scholarships.
Chiwenga’s remarks comes in the wake of a scholarship advertisement by the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) dubbed “munhu munhu scholarship” that seeks to fund tertiary education for young people identifying as LGBTQ.
In a statement, Thursday, Chiwenga described these efforts as “unlawful, unchristian and unAfrican,” asserting Zimbabwe’s firm stance against such practices.
“The Government of Zimbabwe strongly and firmly rejects and denounces as unlawful, unchristian, anti-Zimbabwean and unAfrican insidious attempts by foreign interests to entice, lure and recruit, Zimbabwe’s less privileged but able students into Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender activities and malpractices through offers of educational scholarships.
“Zimbabwe has legislated against all such deviances, making any offers predicated on the same aberrations both unlawful and criminal, and a grave and gross affront on our national values and ethos as a Christian Nation,” said VP Chiwenga
In defense of country’s sovereignty and distinct cultural identity, Chiwenga affirmed the nation’s right to reject foreign influences that clash with its values.
“To that end, government sees such scholarship offers as a direct challenge to its authority, and thus will not hesitate to take appropriate measures to enforce national laws and to protect and defend national values
“Our schools and institutions of higher learning will not entertain applicants, let alone enroll persons associated in such alien, anti-life, unAfrican and unChristian values which are being promoted and cultivated by, as well as practised in decadent societies with whom we share no moral or cultural affinities.
“Zimbabwe is a sovereign African State with definite laws and values which typify it, cutting it apart from other mores,” he said
He urged Zimbabwean youth to seek educational opportunities through channels aligned with the country’s principles, discouraging them from compromising their integrity for external offers deemed as “abominable and devilish.”
