Burundi’s President, Evariste Ndayishimiye, had just yesterday, launched a malignant anti-gay tirade, saying same-sex couples should be publicly stoned.
The President had additionally, castigated Western countries that are compelling other nations to enable gay rights or risk losing aid.
Homosexuality in Burundi, a conservative Christian country in East Africa, has been illegal since 2009, with a prison term of up to two years for consensual same-sex acts.
President Ndayishimiye, who is a Catholic, has described the marriage between same-sex couples as a “contemptible practice.”
Homosexuality is unlawful in several East African countries. There’s a history of suppression and stigmas against gay people, often supported by conservative Muslims and Christians.
Back in March, Burundi charged 24 people with “homosexual practices” in a clampdown on same-sex relationships.
The move had come after a call by Ndayishimiye for citizens to ferret out homosexuality and treat gay people as “pariahs.”