HIGH RATE OF HIV AND AIDS ON TANZANIAN GAYS – AGENCY

Source: Mtanzania Newspaper

TANZANIA – 12 October 2009: The Island of Zanzibar has been said to carry a high rate of HIV/AIDS infections among gays and lesbians in Tanzania.

The Tanzanian National HIV and AIDS Control Commission (TACAIDS) said 12% of those infected with HIV/AIDS in the Island are gays and lesbians.

Dr. Kasesela-Kaganda, a commissioner with TACAIDS, said this trend is alarming and blamed tourists visiting the area for influencing natives with a ‘bad un African lifestyle’ also saying that same sex marriages should not be allowed in Tanzania.

He added that the use of drugs among youths is partly to blame for the existence of gay and lesbian lifestyle.
Kaganda was speaking during a conference organised by the (TAWIF) a human rights NGO, to discuss ways to stop gay prostitution and drug addiction in Zanzibar Island which is a major tourism attraction centre in Tanzania.

He noted that tourists’ influence on the young men and women, lack of parental guidance and parents not staying with their children for a long time has given rise to gays and lesbians among Tanzania youths.

“When these boys and girls travel to their home in rural areas, they influence and spoil innocent youths into same sex relationships and this destroys our children”, Kaganda.  lamented adding that it is absurd to see men dressing  like women and vice-versa, because they have been influenced by someone.

But the TAWIF’s Executive Director, Fransisca  Matao, in different session, differed with Kaganda, saying that society is to blame for the existence of same sex relationships in Tanzania  because it has failed to openly speak about this lifestyle and that many families have opted to shun or discriminate some of their members  who are gays.

“The society has failed to face facts on sexual orientation which determines ones sexual lifestyle. This is a matter of human rights,” She notated.

While giving his presentation at the conference, Kaganda  also said  that boarding schools for same sex pupils and students, military, police, prisons and some males born with females hormones and vice versa as other factors contributing to the increase  of same sex relationships in the country.

He however, he did not say which measures the government aims to undertake to address the fight of HIV and AIDS among homosexuals in Tanzania.

Kaganda said, a research conducted in 2007/2008, revealed that 6% of Tanzanians are HIV positive, with women being the most hard hit by the scourge.

The spread of HIV/AIDS, he said, was most rampant in urban areas and the effects are hitting the country’s economy as the workforce is fast being ravaged by the pandemic.  

“Yes, I confirm that there is indiscriminate unsafe sex in urban areas in Tanzania, where adults have sex with children sometimes in exchange of money,” He explained.

This article was translated from Kiswahili by Ken Were (BTM correspondent)