Zimbabwean gay rights activists have hit back at the ranting by President Robert Mugabe that their “unnatural activities” would never be allowed in the southern African country, accusing the veteran leader of failing to provide leadership to tackle more pressing challenges bedevilling Zimbabwe.

Mugabe last Thursday repeated his attack on gays and lesbians, describing homosexuality as an immoral practice of the “filthy West” that should never be legalised in Zimbabwe.

Speaking during the burial of late Central Intelligence Organisation deputy head Menard Muzariri in Harare, Mugabe blasted the United Kingdom and her Western allies for lecturing Zimbabwe on morality and good governance while they allow their people to go “against nature”.

“We will not allow that in Zimbabwe because it is not part of our culture. Keep your filth,” Mugabe said.

Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) said Mugabe’s attacks were nothing new and “only serve to reinforce our call for constitutional protection of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered and Intersex people that has been met with state sponsored homophobia of alarming levels”.

“It is time for the Zimbabwean government to reflect seriously on its thinking around human rights including those of its lesbian and gay citizens and government should be implementing measures which proactively encourage a culture of meaningful human rights protection in this country,” said GALZ in a statement.

It said Mugabe’s ranting was a contradiction of article VII of the Global Political Agreement in which the President pledges to promote equality, national healing, cohesion and unity.

“The President needs to provide leadership in overcoming Zimbabwe’s challenges in areas such as violence, unemployment, education and health rather than fostering antipathy and intolerance,” the group said.