BOTSWANA: Religious groups, citizens protest against LGBTQI friendly Bill

By Staff Reporter

Demonstrations have erupted in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, as religious groups and other protesters voiced their opposition to legislation aiming to legalize same-sex relations.

The bill was introduced to comply with a 2019 court ruling that declared jail sentences for same-sex relationships unconstitutional.

Botswana’s High Court had ruled in favor of campaigners seeking to abolish the punitive measures for same-sex relationships in 2019.

Despite the government’s efforts to overturn the ruling, they lost the appeal in 2021.

During the protests, one demonstrator strongly expressed their disapproval, stating, “We are saying no to this abomination, no. It’s a sin. Botswana is a Christian country.”

Another marcher emphasized the significance of family unity, claiming that legalizing same-sex relationships would undermine the country’s strong familial bonds and moral standards.

Pulafela Siele, who chairs the Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana (EFB), an umbrella body of Pentecostal and Evangelical churches, insisted that the bill must be halted, fearing that it would effectively legalize homosexuality, which the EFB opposes on the grounds that it wouldn’t benefit the nation.

Member of parliament, Wynter Mmolotsi, highlighted the influence of Christian beliefs on the opposition to the bill, with Christians viewing the legislation as against their beliefs and considering it a guideline for the parliamentary debates.

The demonstrations in Botswana are part of a broader trend of pushback against LGBTQ rights in southern Africa.

Recently, in Malawi, thousands of people took to the streets ahead of a constitutional court case challenging the ban on same-sex relationships in the country.

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Ollus Ndhomu

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