HARARE - The MDC has dismissed and condemed attempts by Zanu PF to distort the MDC constitution principles through media reports that the party is lobbying for gay rights in the new Constitution.

The erroneous story makes false and malicious allegation that the MDC is advocating for same sex marriages and that the party’s Constitution principles make an explicit reference to gays and lesbians.“Clearly the story was written by someone who did not read the MDC’s principles or read them but was too shallow to understand them,” the party said. The media report that the MDC is in support of gay rights is totally wrong and misleading, the party said in a statement.

“The MDC believes in a Constitution with a strong and expanded Bill of Rights that provides for both primary and secondary rights,” the party said. “Nowhere in our principles document is there any reference to gays and lesbians. We simply believe in the entrenchment of people’s freedoms and that is why our position is that any amendment to the Bill of Rights will require a referendum.”

For the record, said the MDC, it is well-known that homosexuality is practised in Zanu PF where senior officials from that party have been jailed while others are under police probe on allegations of sodomy. “It is in Zanu PF where homosexuality is a religion,” the MDC said. “It is well-known that a senior Zanu PF official, Canaan Sodindo Banana, may his soul rest in peace, was a practitioner in homosexuality.”

As a party of excellence, the MDC believes in the people’s rights to basic freedoms which entrench democracy and foster a culture of peace and tolerance in diversity. “We believe that the Constitution-making process is greater than the parochial issue of parroting and bickering by political parties on false issues,” the MDC said. “Zimbabweans want a new Constitution that will outlive narrow political interests; a Constitution that will protect their fundamental rights and freedoms.”

“Rather than focusing on false and malicious allegations on the MDC’s principles on the Constitution, The Sunday Mail should instead be objective and report on attempts by Zanu PF to block the Constitution-making process by intimidating and beating up people in rural areas.” In any case, said the MDC, the people of Zimbabwe will be the ultimate arbiters and referees in the Constitution-making process and neither the MDC nor Zanu PF have the right to determine what the people want. Zimbabweans want hope, freedom, dignity, security and prosperity, the MDC said. “No amount of yellow journalism will stop the people of Zimbabwe from making their own Constitution,” the party said.