Fourteen years in prison?
Mr. Monjez and Mr. Chimbalanga were arrested in Dec. 2009 after holding a public engagement ceremony at their home. Their sentencing is expected Thursday, and they could each face 14 years in prison. In announcing the conviction today, Judge Nyakwawa Usiwa-Usiwa said the couple’s admission of having gay sex was “against the order of nature.” A taboo across Africa For African countries with vast problems such as illiteracy, poverty, and war, it might seem odd to devote resources to a personal matter such as sexual behavior. But some social scientists say it is precisely because many African countries have few resources that religious beliefs – and the moral values they promote – have become so important in society. They bring certainty to an uncertain world. Across Africa, 37 countries ban homosexuality outright. Anti-gay laws are often popular, as was shown in the debate over anti-gay legislation in Uganda late last year. The legislation has found strong support from US-based conservat
