The Tanzanian President thinks ‘even cows’ are anti-gay
GLASTONBURY, ENGLAND – JUNE 25: Cows look from their barn as music plays on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury Festival site at Worthy Farm in Pilton on June 25, 2017 near Glastonbury, England. Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts is the largest greenfield festival in the world. It was started by Michael Eavis in 1970 when several hundred hippies paid just £1, and now attracts more than 175,000 people (Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)
The Tanzanian President has claimed that “even cows” disapprove of homosexuality.
President John Magufuli made the outlandish claim about our bovine friends, which like thousands of other species have shown homosexual behaviour.
Tanzania punishes homosexuality with up to 30 years in prison.
Its penal code states that anyone who “has carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature” can face prison.
Other laws are also used to punish men who have sex with men such as a gross indecency law which carries prison sentences of up to five years and fines of a maximum of 300,000 Tanzanian shillings($134).
“Those who teach such things do not like us, brothers. They brought us drugs and homosexual practices that even cows disapprove of,” said Magufuli on Thursday.
It is unclear which cows Magfuli spoke to to come to his conclusion.
Tanzania this week launched yet another crackdown on LGBT advocates in the country, threatening to arrest and expel them from the country.
The Home Affairs Minister, Mwigulu Nchemba, announced that domestic and foreign campaigners for gay rights would face criminal repercussions.
Amnesty International has condemned the crackdown, saying that the country should do away with its outdated laws.
Abdullahi Boru, East Africa researcher at Amnesty International said: “In 2017, any self-respecting government will not issue that kind of blanket condemnation for people largely based on their sexual orientation.”
Tanzania recently threatened to publish a list of gay people who are allegedly selling sex online.
Health Minister Hamisi Kigwangalla announced the plan as part of the same government crack down on “the homosexuality syndicate”.
“I will publish a list of gay people selling their bodies online,” Kigwangalla wrote on Twitter. “Those who think this campaign is a joke are wrong. The government has long arms and it will arrest all those involved quietly.”
They have since backed down on the threats and insisted that they would “deal with this issue differently”.
Kigwangalla confirmed on Twitter: “For strategic reasons and to avoid destroying evidence we will deal with this issue differently and will keep you informed at every step.”
He also said that releasing the names would be akin to “freeing a devil in a bottle.”
Earlier this year the country stopped 40 privately run clinics from providing HIV-related services because they “cater to homosexuals”.
