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On 14
September 1998 Goodson Machona reported in The Post of Zambia
that Francis Yabe Chisambisha, the first Zambian to go public
that he is gay, was last Saturday elected chairman of the
Lesbian, Gays and Transgender Persons Association (LEGATRA).
LEGATRA's
programmes officer Gershom Musonda, in an interview yesterday,
disclosed that Chisambisha was elected after elections which
were held at the Olympia Swimming Pool in Lusaka. "The
executive committee of LEGATRA comprises 12 people, among
them lesbians," Musonda said. "But for the time
being, the others don't want to be named for fear of victimisation
at their places of work." Musonda, however, disclosed
that among the executive members is a priest and a well
known female celebrity. He further disclosed that at the
same meeting LEGATRA members resolved to start a Church
for gay people and lesbians in Zambia to be called Community
Outreach Ministries.
"The
ministry, when started, will establish a community centre
in Lusaka which will strengthen the religious programmes
of LEGATRA," Musonda said. "The centre shall be
the focal point for the conduct of Christian teaching to
the gay community. It will also offer health, educational
and environmental services." He added that the Church
will be affiliated to the United States- based Universal
Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches (UFMCC).
"They
(UFMCC) have promised to send us 10,000 bibles, posters,
gay literature, two photographic cameras, video and audio
materials and hymn books," he said. Director of the
global outreach for the UFMCC, Rev Judy Dahla, in a letter
to LEGATRA dated September 11, agreed to help the association.
LEGATRA
programmes manager Alfred Zulu, in an interview, said should
they face any hitches in registering LEGATRA they will take
the matter to court. "We have finished drafting the
constitution and this week we are taking it to the police
and the council for perusal before registering the association
later this week," Zulu said.
"Should
the Registrar of Societies grow cold feet, we will take
the matter to court." He said legal affairs minister
Vincent Malambo, home affairs minister Peter Machungwa and
other ministers who have threatened to arrest anyone spearheading
the registration of the association are "misguided".
"In
a democracy you must be tolerant to views that are repugnant
and even sagacious," he said, disclosing that some
people have been sending anonymous death threats to him.
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