Campaign for gay rights elsewhere BUT don't try Tanzania - government warns

Tanzanian government has threatened to arrest and deport all activists, as well as deregister all NGOs that campaign for
gay rights in the country.

Homosexuality is classified as a criminal offence in the Tanzania, the East African nation, where the law states clearly that suspects convicted of having “carnal knowledge of anyone or anything against the order of nature is unlawful” and could face up to thirty years in prison.

 Tanzania’s Minister for Home Affairs Mr.  Mwigulu Nchemba said both foreign and domestic campaigners for gay rights in the country will now face punitive measures when caught.

The Minister said in the capital Dodoma; “people who want to campaign this inhuman gay rights issue should find another country that allows those needless and ungodly things,”

“If for any reason we establish that any Non-governmental organisation registered in our country is campaigning for gay rights here … we will simply deregister that organisation but If a Tanzanian is caught doing that campaign, we will arrest the person and send him to court for prosecution… foreign nationals will immediately be deported to their countries to practice it over there. 

This planned eradication comes amid repeated cautions against immoral behaviours by Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who is popularly called or nicknamed “the Bulldozer” for pushing through his policies.

 He rejected calls last week to lift the ban on pregnant students from attending state schools in the country, drawing some serious criticism from human right groups.

The Minister Nchemba also said President Magufuli’s decisions are final and non-negotiable.

Since his assumption of office in 2015, President Magufuli has always received praises by some Western donors for his decision to eradicate corruption and put an end to wasteful government spending.

His political opponents, however, keeps on accusing him of becoming increasingly authoritarian by curbing political activity and cracking down on dissent.