Mostly religious groups marched across the city to voice their opposition to a bill aiming to comply with a 2019 court ruling in favour of LGBTQ rights. “We are saying no to abomination. Nonsense. Botswana is a Christian country,” one protester said.

“Following the ruling, that the two sections and the penal code must be deleted. We know very well that we felt that is going to legalise homosexuality. Our view is not that we hate them, our view is that it is a law that is not going to benefit us as a nation,” another protester said.

While both female and male same-sex sexual acts have been legal in Botswana since June 11, 2019, after a unanimous ruling by the High Court of Botswana, LEGABIBO, the country's main LGBT advocacy group has said more work still needs to be done to reduce discrimination of LGBT individuals and advocate the recognition of same sex couples.

"We worry that religion and faith are being weaponised to distort the message of the church, which is to encourage love and restoration," Botswana's LGBTQ rights group LEGABIBO said in a statement earlier this month.

--ChannelAfrica--