London - In an
escalating row over LGBTQI+ rights, Zambia has criticised the
United States after a senior U.S. diplomat condemned the
southern African country for sentencing two men to 15 years in
prison for gay sex.
Zambia's high court last week jailed the men for engaging in
sexual relations "against the order of nature", a move the U.S.
ambassador said was horrifying.
A major beneficiary of U.S. aid, Zambia now plans to send a
protest letter to Washington over the remarks by Ambassador
Daniel Foote, according to local media.
Zambia receives hundreds of millions of dollars every year
in financial support from the United States, some of which goes
towards fighting HIV/AIDS.
When asked at a press briefing on Monday whether the
U.S. government would cut aid to Zambia, Foote said: "I want to
give the government of Zambia the opportunity to renew and
rejuvenate its partnership with the U.S."
Foote said he had cancelled an appearance at a World AIDS
Day event on Tuesday after receiving threats.
African countries have some of the world's most prohibitive
laws governing homosexuality. Same-sex relationships are
considered taboo and gay sex is a crime across most of the
continent, with punishments ranging from imprisonment to death.
Uganda announced plans for a bill that would impose the
death penalty for gay sex in October but later backtracked after
major aid donors said they were monitoring the situation.
The U.S. State Department did not respond to questions about
whether it had received an official letter from Zambia.
Zambian President Edgar Lungu said in an interview with Sky
News on Monday that local laws and culture prohibited
homosexuality and that he would not repeal the law.
"If you want to be tying your aid to homosexuality... If
that is how you will bring your aid then I am afraid the West
can leave us alone in our poverty," Lungu said.