BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron is “mad” to suggest that aid to developing countries which ban homosexuality is to be cut, President Robert Mugabe said.
Ending bans on homosexuality was one of the recommendations of a highly-critical internal report into the future relevance of the Commonwealth – authored by experts from across the member nations including Britain’s ex-Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind.
Speaking after the Commonwealth summit in October, Cameron said “British aid should have more strings attached”.
He added: “This is an issue where we are pushing for movement, we are prepared to put some money behind what we believe.
"Britain is one of the premier aid givers in the world. We want to see countries that receive our aid adhering to proper human rights.”
Cameron’s threats have already met with public resistance from the leaders of Nigeria, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda who accuse the British premier of meddling in their countries’ affairs.
Cameron’s call has found a receptive listener in Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, but his lone voice is drowned out by the millions of conservative Zimbabweans who say same sex relationships are evil.
And Mugabe, speaking in Harare last Friday, said Cameron was making “unholy demands”.
He added: “You heard Cameron saying all those countries that need help from Britain must accept gay rights. I said to myself: ‘This is madness!’
“I am happy that some countries have refused that package.”
Speaking in Shona to an audience of farmers at the launch of the Presidential Well-Wishers Special Agricultural Inputs Scheme, Mugabe said: “Kutoti murume naye naye mumu-bhedha. Iko kune mazirume akapusa kudaro anobvuma zvavo kuitwa vakadzi nezvimwe zvirume [What’s this, a man going after another man, right into his bed? But we also have men who are so foolish that they agree to be made wives by other men].
“Togowanda sei kana tadaro? [How are we going to reproduce if we all become gays?].”
Tsvangirai was roundly condemned after suggesting that a new constitution set to be completed by the end of the year must recognise gay rights. He has been backpedalling furiously since, now suggesting that he would defend whatever the people decide.