Stakeholders divided on homosexuality

The workshop brought together lawyers, Dikgosi, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) such as Ditshwanelo, Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) and Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisation (BOCONGO).

Burning amongst the issues was that of sexual orientation, with some of the stakeholders arguing that homosexuality was never part of African tradition. Kgosi Baleseng Baleseng said there is no way in African culture homosexuality was allowed. He said the issue of homosexuality came to the fore during the time when African men were separated from their wives to work at the mines.