Former Resident Doctors Association of Zambia – RDAZ President Dr. Brian Chota Sampa has revealed that he is embarking on am march past which he has themed “#BanNdevupaNdevu” (Ban Beards on Beards) from Lusaka’s Civic center to State house (the official residence and office of Zambian President) to protest the increase in gay and lesbian activities in Zambia.
Dr. Sampa, a medical doctor by profession is undertaking the march to the State House to advocate for stricter rules and to challenge government to go beyond just condemning but taking action. The law is not being enforced and its governments responsibility to enforce the law and not merely condemn.
We have seen a lot of Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Pride (LGBTQ) community members making videos, circulating them and the Vice is rapidly growing in Zambia. What we want is to advocate for action. There are even organizations which have even openly stated that they are promoting gay and lesbian rights and yet government is not doing anything.
The medical doctor said it is illegal to practice homosexuality in Zambia but a lot of people are currently practicing it because the law is not being enforced on them. The government can condemn but they are not doing anything about it.
In an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times-ZBT, the Dr. Sampa said something can be condemned and still acted upon adding that its governments mandate to act and enforce the law as stipulated by law.
“Someone who is not in government can condemn and say all sorts of bad things about a vice but the government is the only one that is responsible to enforce the law”, he said. Dr. Sampa said the march past is way of trying to reaffirm the point that the government needs to do more than what it’s doing now to curb the vice before it gets out of hand.
He stated that there are a lot of existing organizations in Zambia that support homosexuality and they are being allowed to flourish in the country and nothing is being done. The government should take a strong stance on the LGBTQ community the same way it is condemning corruption by investigating and arresting people and taking actions against them.
LQBTQ communities continue to face a hurdle against cultural beliefs with most traditions in Zambia not having clear ways to handle it.