A COALITION of churches in Botswana has raised its voice against parliament’s recent move to amend the constitution to incorporate gay rights, sparking a contentious debate over the intersection of religious beliefs and human rights.
Botswana’s Minister for State President, Kabo Morwaeng, presented a constitutional amendment bill for its first reading on Wednesday, proposing several amendments, including a clause aimed at ‘protecting and prohibiting the discrimination of intersex persons and persons with a disability.’
However, the proposed inclusion of provisions promoting gay rights has stirred opposition from religious institutions across the country. Abraham Kedisang, a pastor at the Apostolic Faith Mission, condemned the effort, emphasising the necessity of public engagement in such crucial matters. ‘As the AFM Botswana, we express our grave concerns… These provisions portend grave threat for our Christian way of life,’ Kedisang remarked.
The backdrop to this debate is Botswana’s High Court’s landmark ruling in 2019, which decriminalised same-sex relations, followed by a government bill in July 2023 to enshrine gay rights in the constitution. Despite these legal developments, opposition to the amendments persists, with Kedisang asserting, ‘The disturbing provision… threatens to destroy the cardinal structure of family life.’
Thato Moruti, Chief Executive of Lesbians, Gays, and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO), underscores the human rights aspect of the debate, calling for a separation of religious beliefs from legislative matters. ‘This issue of decriminalization is a human rights matter, it is not a religious matter,’ Moruti emphasised.
The government’s legal challenge against the 2019 judgment was dismissed by the Court of Appeal in 2021. Moruti urged lawmakers to uphold democratic principles by safeguarding the rights of marginalised communities, including LGBTQI individuals.
Botswana’s journey toward LGBTQI rights contrasts with the broader African context, where homosexuality remains illegal in most countries, with severe penalties enforced in some, like Uganda, where the death sentence is applicable.
As Botswana grapples with the complexities of constitutional reform, the clash between religious principles and human rights underscores the nation’s ongoing struggle to reconcile tradition with progress.
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