Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Video/News Video
AfricaNews VideoWorld

Journalist Relentlessly Presses Zimbabwe President on Country’s Plan for Gay Rights — Here’s What He Had to Say

Posted byBy Tanasia Kenney | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa won’t be campaigning for gay rights anytime soon as he focuses his attention on other priorities for Zimbabweanians.

During a recent appearance on CNN’s “Quest Means Business,” Mnangagwa said he refused to be dissuaded from upholding the nation’s constitution, which strictly forbids the marriage of same-sex couples. As it pertains to gay rights in general, the president argued it was not his “duty” to campaign for the civil rights of gay and lesbian Zimbabweans.

“I’m a constitutionalist,” he told reporter Richard Quest who pressed him for a promise to push for gay rights. Quest followed by asking Mnangagwa to lead a campaign to which he responded, “Those people who want [same-sex rights] are the people who must canvas for such things; if they are able to win a majority in amending the constitution, they will amend it.”

Mnangagwa’s reluctance only appeared to agitate Quest who further pressed him on the issue. The president refused to back down from his stance, however.

“It’s my duty to obey my constitution,” he said, adding that he goes by the majority view of his people. Mnangagwa further added that his priorities today are to grow his economy and increase the standard of life for his people.

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top