Anti-gay protesters demand US Ambassador’s exit

WINDHOEK, 08 OCT (NAMPA) – A movement called ‘Stop Homosexuality and same-sex marriages in Namibia’ on Tuesday handed over a petition at the United States Embassy in Windhoek, in which they demand the immediate exit of the United States of America’s Ambassador to Namibia, Randy Berry.
The petition, read by the group’s spokesperson Julius Mukuve, alleges that Berry is openly gay and is directly promoting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transexual, Queer and Intersex (LGBTQI) agenda. Mukuve also claims that Berry was previously named special envoy for the human rights of homosexuals.
“Such sexual conduct is an abomination which is against our African cultural norms and our Christian values. We demand the immediate departure of Randy Berry from Namibia. He should be replaced by someone who is a heterosexual man or woman as per our demand for the President of Namibia,” Mukuve said.
The movement, consisting of close to 100 protesters, also handed over a petition at United Nations House. The protesters demanded that President Nangolo Mbumba sign the Marriage and Spouse Bill, passed by Parliament last year.
The bill, tabled by Swapo Parliamentarian Jerry Ekandjo in July last year, seeks to criminalise the promotion and solemnisation of same-sex marriages. The Bill further seeks to redefine the term spouse, favouring heterosexual marriages.
Penda Nakathingo, a public transport unionist who is spearheading the protests, told the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Namibia, Hopolang Phororo, through her representative Anthea Basson, that the UN should remove all LGBTQI flags from its premises with immediate effect.
“We totally and strongly reject such homosexuality and same sex marriage agenda. Failure to do so and to stop promoting the LGBTQI agenda in Namibia, we shall remove the flag ourselves as Namibians and we shall demand that you also leave Namibia with immediate effect,” Nakathingo said.
(NAMPA)
EB/EK/AS