Govt condemns LGBT-sponsored scholarships

Oscar J Jeke

The government has denounced scholarships offers by the LGBT community to vulnerable and less privileged Zimbabwean students citing them as criminal, unlawful and a threat to the country’s national values.

The caution by the government comes as there has been a parade of foreign interest scholarships targetting the less-privileged students in Zimbabwean society by the LGBT community.

The government has made warning statements citing that Zimbabwe does not subscribe to such activities of lesbians and gays.

In a statement, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga said that these offers are not aligned with the country’s laws and thereby rendered them anti-life and unlawful.

“The government of Zimbabwe strongly and firmly rejects and denounces as unlawful, unchristian, anti-Zimbabwe 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,” Chiwenga said.

He also said that the country has laws that apply to such issues and does not share them with other foreign nations.

“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.

“Young Zimbabweans, who qualify for enrolment into tertiary institutions here and elsewhere, should approach Government Departments tasked to give grants and scholarship support to deserving cases. They should never be tempted to trade or sell their souls for such abominable and devilish offers,” Chiwenga added.