US, Zambia Row Over Homosexuality Case

Zambia’s foreign affairs minister has hit back at the United States, after the American ambassador to the country said he “was personally horrified” by the sentencing of two men for having sex.

Joseph Malanji said he plans to send a protest letter to Washington over the comments made last week by Ambassador Daniel Foote.

Foote said he “was personally horrified to read about the sentencing of two men, who had a consensual relationship, which hurt absolutely no-one”.

In response, Mr Malanji told journalists over the weekend that “To question (the judiciary’s) decision by a representative of a foreign government is tantamount to questioning the Zambian constitution.

“Until the Zambian constitution is changed to accommodate that, the courts will always rule according to the Zambian constitution”.

Homosexuality is illegal under Zambian law, and President Edgar Lungu has previously said he will not change this in exchange for foreign aid from Western governments.