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Zimbabwean Gay
activist infects 12 with HIV, blames Cabinet Minister
13 Apr 2007- Zimbabwe- The Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ)
an association of homosexuals in Zimbabwe GALZ recently fired its
information and publications manager Dumisani Dube after revelations by
other homosexuals that the gay manager had infected 12 homosexual
partners with the deadly HIV virus that causes AIDS.
All the twelve, 10
gays and 2 lesbians are members of GALZ.
The
disgraced Dube also made a stunning disclosure
to a close friend that he had himself been infected by Stan Mudenge a
cabinet minister currently serving in Mugabe’s government adding that he
has been living positively with the virus for the past five years.
Keith
Goddard a well known homosexual in
Zimbabwe
who is the founding director of GALZ confirmed to ZimDaily that
they had relieved the former information and publications manager of his
duties at GALZ center for what he termed disruptive behaviour.
Dube is
said to have used his influential position to lure new GALZ members into
unprotected anal sex. Being a bi-sexual homo he swung both ways sleeping
with both gays and lesbians at the center in Harare
sources said.
The GALZ
center is situated on 35 Colenbrander Road
Milton
Park, Harare.
Part of
Dube’s duties included publishing two magazines The Galzette and
Waz Up on behalf of GALZ. The two magazines promote and defend
homosexuality as normal human behavior and a human right.
Dube
has since been replaced by Millicent Tanhira a self confessed lesbian
and a former reporter with The Sunday Mirror
Pressed to
confirm the allegations that Dube had recklessly and deliberately
infected a dozen homosexuals with the HIV virus Goddard said they had
handled only “a couple of cases” brought up by members of the
association.
Goddard
insisted that the dismissal of Dube had more to do with trying to “to
protect the good image of the organization and not the allegations
raised by members”.
Asked why
GALZ had not expelled Dube from the organization as recommended by the
association’s disciplinary committee Goddard indicated it would not be
prudent as Dube needed access to the free ARV therapy provided by GALZ
to its members.
He
explained that once expelled from the association Dube would be denied
access to the ARV therapy which he badly needed.
But a
former health services manager of GALZ who preferred to be referred to
only as Martha said she had handle a total of twelve cases of GALZ
members who had revealed to her that Dube had infected them with the
deadly virus.
“They all
revealed that Dumi had insisted on unprotected anal sex with his
partners bribing them with cash inducements and other incentives”, said
the former GALZ health services manager who now works for
SAFAIDS-Zimbabwe.
As health
services manager Martha said she provided psychological counseling and
health education services to distressed GALZ members.
Her department was
also in charge of recommending and facilitating ARV therapy for HIV
positive members.
According
to insiders GALZ has a membership of about 500. Over 200 of them are on
ARV support therapy provided free of charge by the association.
In a new
twist to the story a close confidante of Dube revealed to Zimdaily
that Dube was bitter that Mudenge a cabinet minister in Mugabe’s
government had infected him with the deadly HIV virus five years ago
when the two had a six month sexual relationship.
Chesterfield Samba the programs manager at GALZ and a close friend of
Dube for the past 10 years told ZimDaily that his friend had
confided in him that he got the AIDS virus from Mudenge in 2002 after
the two had met in Victoria Falls
- Dube’s home area.
Mudenge
had insisted on unprotected sex promising to pay a lot of money to Dube
who was then still a ‘virgin’ Samba added.
Mudenge had sex with Dube twice in Kingdom Hotel before meeting again on
several occasions in Harare
and later in Pretoria,
South Africa.
Mudenge is
the Minister of Higher Education and a member of parliament. He has been
appointed to various ministries by Mugabe since 1980 and has served
Mugabe loyally for the past 27 years.
These
revelations come barely two months after Mugabe repeated his well
publicized mantra that homosexuals are “worse than dogs and pigs” who
should be arrested where ever they are.
He
repeated his speech while delivering a key note address during the 21ST
February Movement celebrations at Mkoba Stadium in Gweru last February.
Apparently
Mugabe has been very publicly vocal about his detest for homosexuals
while he has habitually accommodated several in his party and
government.
The first President
of Zimbabwe appointed by Mugabe himself Canaan Sodindo Banana was a
homosexual who was later arrested for sodomy.
The
homosexuals association in Zimbabwe GALZ is situated in Milton Park a
neighboring suburb to Belgravia
where Mugabe’s State House is located.
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