Zambia main opposition party accused of trying to introduce same-sex marriages

The governing party in Zambia on Tuesday claimed that the country's main opposition party plans to introduce same-sex marriages if the party wins this year's general elections.

The youth wing of the governing Patriotic Front (PF) claimed main opposition leader Hakainde Hichilema of the United Party for National Development (UPND) recently met with some diplomats from some foreign countries and that one of the issues discussed was the introduction of gay rights.

Kennedy Kamba, the chairperson of the governing party's youth wing in Lusaka province, said the party has received intelligence information that one of the issues discussed when the opposition leader met with 15 diplomats was introducing gay rights.

The youth leader said Zambians should be wary of the activities of the opposition leader ahead of the August 11 general election whom he also claimed plans to remove the clause that declared Zambia as a Christian Nation from the constitution.

The issue of same-sex marriages has always popped up during elections in Zambia as the country is a conservative nation which frowns on anyone that promote such rights.

In the run up to the 2011 election, the then governing Movement for Multiparty Democracy accused then opposition leader Michael Sata of planning to reintroduce same sex marriages if he won the election.

Sata later went on to win the election but never introduced gay rights. Endit