Zimbabwe’s Mugabe slams Europe’s ‘homosexual nonsense’

President Mugabe of Zimbabwe

Harare (AFP) – Zimbabwe’s strong man ruler Robert Mugabe lashed out at Europe’s “homosexual nonsense” and condemned the refusal of its leaders to accept his grip on power in his latest marathon tirade on Friday.

“The Europe of yesterday is gone, we have a Europe of today which has no principles at all,” the 90-year-old told a crowd of thousands gathered in a Harare stadium to mark 34 years since the country’s independence from Britain.

Mugabe, who has been Zimbabwe’s ruler since independence, refused to attend an EU-Africa summit earlier this month after his wife was denied a visa to enter Europe.

“The Europeans will never ever accept a ZANU-PF government in this country,” referring to the political party he dominates.

“What is natural is made unnatural. And what is unnatural they want to say it is natural,” he said in the speech, which lasted an hour and a half.

Mugabe repeated his claims that Europe is trying to force gay rights on Africa.

President Robert Mugabe

“(Europe says) If you pass a law that rejects homosexual marriages we will punish you like they are doing to Uganda and us,” he said.

“Let Europe keep their homosexual nonsense there and not cross over with it here.”

Mugabe, who once said gays and lesbians are worse than pigs and dogs, warned Western diplomats in Zimbabwe against preaching gay rights, saying they would be deported.