Zimbabwe High School Girls Arrested Over Homosexuality
Homosexuality is illegal in Zimbabwe, and some individuals have been prosecuted and convicted for their sexual orientation, including former president Canaan Sodindo Banana. On the other hand, there are very active and very visible gay and lesbian organisations in Zimbabwe like the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) that have created public debate on the issue.
The 15 girls from the school located in the city centre, also play soccer for a local women’s club called Carlton.
There were picked up by police officers from Bulawayo Central police on Friday last week and were detained for the whole day before released in their parents’ custody.
“ There are expected to appear in court anytime this week as investigation are still underway,” said one police officer who was part of the team that arrested the girls.
The girls are also alleged to have been teaching other school girls homosexuality.
Evelyn High School Headmistress Rosemary Moyo confirmed the girls were arrested for homosexual activities.
“Police came to the school and picked up the girls. I phoned their parents and told them about the issue,” said Moyo.
President Robert Mugabe has in the past made frequent vitriolic attacks on homosexuality which he has described as foreign to African culture. He once described homosexuals as “worse than dogs and pigs”.
Recently President Mugabe told a gathering of the Apostolic Sect that it was better to engage in polygamy than in homosexuality.