Castrate homosexuals “when found guilty of ‘same-sex intercourse'”. This is the shocking demand of the women in government in Tanzania and in particular of Mary Chatanda, leader of the women’s wing of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Ccm) party. During celebrations marking the biennial inauguration of Samia Suluhu Hassan, Tanzania’s first female president, Chatanda “called on the government to impose severe penalties for crimes related to sexual activity between people of the same sex. Such people should be castrated if found guilty.”
Chatanda is considered an uncompromising conservative, but is not the first politician in her party to fuel homophobic rhetoric. Former Tanzanian President John Magufuli had also taken a hard line against gays, and a regional official in Dar es Salaam set up a task force to trace gays, sparking a global uproar.
Same-sex relationships are banned in Tanzania and long prison sentences are imposed on those who engage in them. But Tanzania is no exception. The Ugandan Parliament is currently debating the reintroduction of the law banning same-sex relationships. In Kenya, President William Ruto recently criticized a Supreme Court ruling that was seen as positive for the gay community and said homosexuality remained unacceptable in Kenya.