Wendelinus bashes ‘womaniser’ Nekongo for anti-gay stance
While Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) secretary Ephraim Nekongo says the ruling party’s youth wing will continue to oppose homosexuality in Namibia, gay rights agitator Wendelinus Hamutenya-Jeremiah has accused him of conflating rape with homosexuality.
This after Nekongo issued a statement last week condemning the alleged actions of a SPYL member who was said to have engaged in intercourse with another man in Gobabis.
He was initially charged with rape, but according to police in the Omaheke Region, while there was evidence that sex took place between the Swapo local authority councillor and a 19-year-old man, there was insufficient proof that this happened under coercive circumstances.
In the statement, Nekongo said the party will stand with the alleged victim and called upon the legal arms of the country to strengthen the laws around homosexuality.
The youth league leader is known for his strong opposition to homosexuality, which he regards as ‘satanic’ and part of the imperialist agenda.
Cheap political points
Hamutenya-Jeremiah - who is a former Mr Gay Namibia - did not take kindly to Nekongo’s statement and said SPYL should look at the incident as a crime, adding that it has nothing to do with homosexuality.
“SPYL must understand that rape is a crime and their member committed a crime. This has nothing to do with homosexuality,” he said.
“Why did Swapo never condemn [the act] when their male members rape women? But now that it’s two males involved, they want to score cheap political points?”
“He, Nekongo, is a womaniser who is making babies among their members. He must be condemned too.”
Hamutenya-Jeremiah went on to say that political parties should refrain from making negative statements towards the LGBTQI community and instead promote the protection of gay rights.
“We call on all political parties that are participating in the upcoming elections, particularly the Swapo Party, to embrace the equal rights and dignity of all Namibians and refrain from exploiting and targeting vulnerable minorities, such as the LGBTQI+ community, for cheap political gain,” he said.
Counter-revolutionary acts
Yesterday, Nekongo maintained his hard-line stance, adding that there exists no law under the Namibian Constitution that promotes homosexuality.
“The SPYL’s position on homosexuality is in line with the principles and values upon which the Namibian society is founded, as per the constitution of our country. That includes the protection of family by the state, as a natural and fundamental group unit of society formed by a man and a woman upon marriage,” he argued.
“The SPYL’s collective position on homosexuality is clear to all members of the public, hence, as SPYL, we will continue to condemn and oppose the imperialist agenda that seeks to normalise counter-revolutionary acts on our motherland.
“Our commitment is to continue accelerating socio-economic development for the prosperity of all our people, and not to relegate it with homosexuality. There is no law that provides for the practice nor legalisation of homosexuality in our country.”
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This after Nekongo issued a statement last week condemning the alleged actions of a SPYL member who was said to have engaged in intercourse with another man in Gobabis.
He was initially charged with rape, but according to police in the Omaheke Region, while there was evidence that sex took place between the Swapo local authority councillor and a 19-year-old man, there was insufficient proof that this happened under coercive circumstances.
In the statement, Nekongo said the party will stand with the alleged victim and called upon the legal arms of the country to strengthen the laws around homosexuality.
The youth league leader is known for his strong opposition to homosexuality, which he regards as ‘satanic’ and part of the imperialist agenda.
Cheap political points
Hamutenya-Jeremiah - who is a former Mr Gay Namibia - did not take kindly to Nekongo’s statement and said SPYL should look at the incident as a crime, adding that it has nothing to do with homosexuality.
“SPYL must understand that rape is a crime and their member committed a crime. This has nothing to do with homosexuality,” he said.
“Why did Swapo never condemn [the act] when their male members rape women? But now that it’s two males involved, they want to score cheap political points?”
“He, Nekongo, is a womaniser who is making babies among their members. He must be condemned too.”
Hamutenya-Jeremiah went on to say that political parties should refrain from making negative statements towards the LGBTQI community and instead promote the protection of gay rights.
“We call on all political parties that are participating in the upcoming elections, particularly the Swapo Party, to embrace the equal rights and dignity of all Namibians and refrain from exploiting and targeting vulnerable minorities, such as the LGBTQI+ community, for cheap political gain,” he said.
Counter-revolutionary acts
Yesterday, Nekongo maintained his hard-line stance, adding that there exists no law under the Namibian Constitution that promotes homosexuality.
“The SPYL’s position on homosexuality is in line with the principles and values upon which the Namibian society is founded, as per the constitution of our country. That includes the protection of family by the state, as a natural and fundamental group unit of society formed by a man and a woman upon marriage,” he argued.
“The SPYL’s collective position on homosexuality is clear to all members of the public, hence, as SPYL, we will continue to condemn and oppose the imperialist agenda that seeks to normalise counter-revolutionary acts on our motherland.
“Our commitment is to continue accelerating socio-economic development for the prosperity of all our people, and not to relegate it with homosexuality. There is no law that provides for the practice nor legalisation of homosexuality in our country.”
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