Lungu urges Zambians to embrace gays and lesbians

Following President Lungu’s appearance at the UN General Assembly this week, where civil rights and homosexuality have been widely discussed, President Lungu has called on Africans and Zambians to unite in celebrating Gay people across Zambia.

In Zambia, it has until recently been a crime to be homosexual, with many people in Zambia’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community facing potential imprisonment according to the local law.

Many homosexuals in Zambia struggle to cope with the emotional trauma that comes with living in a place where one’s personal practices of identity are regularly attacked and as a result suicide is common.

Lungu’s statement will be popular for the LGBT community in Zambia if followed through. As it stands, no one wants to fund or be involved in LGBT programs in the country as they are deemed illegal. Yet every year more lives continue to be lost in suicides and attacks on those who are part of the LGBT community.

Mental health struggles are also very common in Zambia’s LGBT community, however, there are no official statistics about the mental health of Zambia’s LGBT community as until now the government has not legally recognised its existence.

In recent years, many developing countries have come under pressure from the Western world to embrace homosexuality in exchange for financial help and this is most likely what has happened in New York this week with President Lungu.

This is a momentous move for President Lungu who has up until now only demonstrated his unwavering boldness and commitment to stand against any pressure to legalise homosexuality in Zambia despite being known maintain a close group of male friends with whom he shares much of his closest discussions with.

The LGBT community in africa have applauded the move.