Zambian vice president dismisses same-sex marriage question: ‘We care more about education’

Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

The vice president of Zambia has dismissed a question of same-sex marriage during a visit to his roots in Scotland during the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Dr Guy Scott made the comments in an interview with STV, during which he was asked his position on same-sex marriage.

He said: “Scotland has introduced gay marriage last week, so Zambia must suddenly… You weren’t complaining about it two weeks ago in Zambia. But now we have to follow suit. It’s not right. It’s an unreasonable expectation.

“So you can look at it and say actually Zambians care more about poverty, more about disease, they care more about their children’s education. And thats what we are going to concentrate on,” he continued.

It is illegal to be gay or lesbian in Zambia, with punishments of up to 14 years in jail.

Due to a lack of evidence, two men in Zambia earlier this month were acquitted after having been imprisoned for over a year, accused of having sexual relations “against the order of nature”.

James Mwape and Philip Mubiana, had been imprisoned since May 2013, accused of having gay sex.

In July 2013, an Englishman living in Zambia was forced to leave the country for good after details of his civil partnership in the UK generated a storm of controversy.

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