DRC TO BAN GAY SEX?

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) may outlaw sexual conduct between members of the same sex.

While gays and lesbians have previously been targeted through public indecency laws, homosexuality is not technically illegal in the country.

This may soon change after a bill that aims to criminalise gay sex was proposed last week in the DRC’s National Assembly.

Radiookapi.net reported that the sponsor of the bill, MP Steve Mbikayi, said that the legislation was necessary to preserve “African values” and to protect the country from moral depravity and “western morals”.

“Given the wind blowing in the world, and since most African countries prohibit homosexuality, and at home there was a legal vacuum screaming. As it were, that silence implies consent,” said Mbikayi.

“And to protect Congolese youth and our people against these practices, I initiated a bill after consulting social groups, pressure, churches, youth, women, to prohibit this practice in our country.”

He added: “You will not see anywhere where Westerners copy our culture, our attitudes. And we should not blindly copy what is done there.”

Mbikayi has not yet revealed details of the bill nor what penalties may be included in the draft law.

According to Amnesty International, thirty-eight countries in sub-Saharan Africa have laws criminalising consensual same-sex sexual conduct.

Ironically, legislation against homosexuality in most African countries was introduced by the former colonial powers. The DRC, however, was colonised by Belgium which decriminalised homosexuality in 1794.

Nevertheless, while not illegal, homosexuality remains a taboo in the DRC.