Staff Reporter
Revelations have surfaced accusing Western embassies in Zimbabwe of funding efforts to promote LGBTQ+ rights in the country.
Allegations suggest that prominent media outlets and organizations have been enlisted to push for acceptance of foreign cultures, sparking a fierce debate over the imposition of alien values on Zimbabwean society.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the American Embassy has purportedly engaged Bustop TV, a renowned Zimbabwean media house known for its satirical content, to spearhead advocacy efforts for gay and lesbian rights.
"The Western embassies in the country have resolved to embark on a project to promote homosexual and transgender cultures in Zimbabwe. Bustop TV has been tasked with using its social media and online platforms to advance the cause, with an undisclosed sum of money allocated for the creation and dissemination of a documentary titled 'Transcend the Ballot,' advocating for transgender rights,” the source revealed.
In addition to financial support, the source claimed that Bustop TV Director Derrick Nziyakwi has been instructed to grant interviews to select media outlets, amplifying the message of LGBTQ+ acceptance.
"Nziyakwi is reportedly receiving substantial compensation from the US Embassy for his involvement in this advocacy work," the source added.
The revelations have sparked outrage among some Zimbabweans, who view the promotion of LGBTQ+ rights as an affront to their cultural values and beliefs.
Political analyst, Elton Ziki, condemned the Western intervention, stating, "The West has persistently tried to encourage LGBTQ+ rights in Zimbabwe, disregarding our values and cultural beliefs as a nation. The American Embassy, in particular, is known for funding events that go against our country's laws, such as gay parades in wanton defiance of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which obliges diplomatic missions to respect the laws of the host countries”.
Last week, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga issued a stern warning, condemning foreign institutions offering scholarships to LGBTQ+ individuals. VP Chiwenga emphasised that those involved in promoting or accepting such offers would face legal consequences.
However, the controversy surrounding LGBTQ+ advocacy has not gone without international ramifications.
There has been growing international resistance to Western intervention in LGBTQ+ rights.
Several organisations have expressed solidarity with nations resisting external pressures. In 2022, FIFA sided with Qatar during World Cup preparations, rebuffing Western demands to enforce certain LGBTQ+ rights standards on the host nation.
