Governor Of Tanzania's Capital Announces Plan To Round Up Everyone Who Was Too Gay On Social Media

from the tanzanian-devil dept

There has been an unfortunate trend in far too many African nations in which governments there look at the internet as either a source of evil in their countries or purely as a source for tax revenue, or both. The end result in many cases is a speech tax of sorts being placed on citizens in these countries, with traffic being taxed, bloggers being forced to register with the federal government, and populations that could otherwise benefit from a free and open internet being essentially priced out of the benefit altogether.

But things have taken a different and far worse turn in Tanzania, where the governor of the country's capital city, Dodoma, has announced his plan to round up anyone who is perceived as being gay on the internet and chucking them in prison.

He announced his plans for sweeping arrests of gay citizens in an interview on Monday that was shared on social media, reports CNN Africa. "I have received reports that there are so many homosexuals in our city, and these homosexuals, are advertising and selling their services on the internet," said Governor Paul Makonda. "Therefore, I am announcing this to every citizen of Dar es Salaam. If you know any gays...report them to me."

"These homosexuals boast on social networks," he added.

This, of course, is horrific on many levels, from the blatant homophobia, to the inciting a mob mentality against the LGBTQ community, to the bizarre focus on their internet usage and silly claims of "advertising and selling their services" online. When called on all of this, Magufuli hid behind antiquated religious beliefs, which suggest the talk about "advertising and selling their services" is just part of the moral panic because he's homophobic:

When asked about the international backlash that the decision will undoubtedly draw, Makonda, described as a pious Christian and a loyal supporter of president John Magufuli stated "I prefer to anger those countries than to anger God," adding that same-sex relationships "trample on the moral values of Tanzanians and our two Christian and Muslim religions," as quoted in News 24.

In which case anything to do with "selling services" is complete bullshit and this is entirely about hating gay people. And, importantly, it's about using people's speech on social media platforms as the basis for rounding up those "gay" people and throwing them in jail for no other crime than being gay on the internet.

And if anything were anathema to the very concept of a free and open internet, it surely must be this. The chief benefit of a communications platform like the internet is to allow for expression and the introduction of new ideas and personas to a wider populace. Turning that very platform into a weaponized platform for building hit lists should be sending up all kinds of red flags across the world.

If this indeed goes forward, the international moral outrage had better be swift and massive, or we'll have confirmation that the world has lost its way.

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Filed Under: dodoma, lgbtq, paul makonda, social media, tanzania


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  1. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 3:43am

    hmmm

    I seriously doubt he understands the teachings of either of those two religions he invoked

    link to this | view in thread ]

  2. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 3:57am

    The world lost its way when even supposed democratic, free nations started to use the Internet as a means of surveilling and silencing people as well as a means of arresting them when it suited, with the exceptions of the rich, famous, powerful and political of course!

    link to this | view in thread ]

  3. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 3:59am

    Consider too, that part of sub saharan Africa are as Christian as some parts of the American South.

    I know this because when I was in college, I did have black girlfriend was was from sub saharan Africa and was very Christian.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  4. identicon
    Glenn, 9 Nov 2018 @ 4:34am

    "antiquated religious beliefs"

    Such a redundant thing to say.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  5. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 6:00am

    'Cut me off in traffic? Oh they are definitely gay.'

    Report someone as gay.

    Have them locked up.

    Oh yeah, I can't see this being used to silence dissent and/or punish people that someone doesn't like at all.

    Ah good old bigots in power, punishing all those 'icky' people for the terrible crime of being different. If he really believes that his god has such a problem with gay people then great, god can get off his divine ass and teleport all the gay people in the country straight to jail, making it perfectly clear that that's where he thinks they should be. Stepping in to do it himself makes it clear that he thinks his god is not only a bigot too, but an impotent one at that.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  6. icon
    DannyB (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 6:29am

    Re:

    Consider too, that part of sub saharan Africa are as Christian as some parts of the American South.

    As I read that, I read the phrase "are as Christian" as being sarcastic. To mean having a pretense of being Christian while not actually believing or having any of the evidence of actually being Christian.

    Like how Trump is a Christian, exhibiting values such as:

    • compassion
    • kindness
    • gentleness
    • temperance
    • forgiveness
    • humility
    • truthfulness
    • integrity
    • good stewardship of resources

    It would be no surprise that these "christians" would want to put gay people in prison -- just as Jesus taught us to do! Organize the religious leaders and punish sinners without grace or mercy seems to have been His example.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  7. icon
    DannyB (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 6:29am

    Re: 'Cut me off in traffic? Oh they are definitely gay.'

    "Officer! That driver must be gay! I can tell by the way they are driving."

    link to this | view in thread ]

  8. identicon
    bob, 9 Nov 2018 @ 7:23am

    search gone wrong

    Maybe the govener (wanna be king) did a search for a wife online. but the search results for queen wasn't what he was thinking.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  9. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 7:42am

    Re:

    democratic?
    LOL

    link to this | view in thread ]

  10. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 7:43am

    Re: Re:

    The sarcasm is strong with this one.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  11. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:07am

    Re: Re:

    Christians follow the Holy Bible, which considers homosexuality to be an abomination, and whose practitioners must be dealt with somewhat harshly.

    If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.

    -- Leviticus 20:13 (KJV)

    so, basically ...

    • prison for sodomites - NO!
    • Death to sodomites - YES!

    Though it doesn't say if only state authorities can impose this death sentence, or if anyone can as they see fit (ignoring that pesky Sixth Commandment of coure).

    link to this | view in thread ]

  12. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:16am

    Re: Re:

    Not very relevant anyway. If 50% of people wanted the gays rounded up, it would be democratic and still not okay.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  13. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:19am

    Re: Re: Re:

    The story claims Tanzania is arresting people for being gay, whereas that biblical quote only forbids sodomy.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  14. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:25am

    Re: Re: Re:

    Christians follow the Holy Bible

    Except for those parts about not wearing clothing woven of different materials, or not breeding different animals together (e.g. mules), or not eating pork or seafood, or welcoming foreigners, or not doing any work on Saturdays, or, you know, any parts that they find inconvenient.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  15. icon
    PaulT (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:31am

    Re: hmmm

    As elsewhere, it doesn't matter how much he personally understands or believes. What matters is that he's managed to get enough people to believe him and take action.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  16. identicon
    David, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:45am

    Obvious explanation

    Said Governor Paul Makonda: "Therefore, I am announcing this to every citizen of Dar es Salaam. If you know any gays...report them to me."

    Too cheap for using a dating agency, eh?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  17. identicon
    Agammamon, 9 Nov 2018 @ 8:59am

    Re: search gone wrong

    Maybe he should book a flight to Queens, NY?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  18. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 9:36am

    Somebody will dig up photos of this guy with a tranny. Extreme Homophobes are always hiding something.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  19. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 9:42am

    Re: Re: Re:

    So?
    What does that have to do with the story?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  20. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 9:44am

    Re: Obvious explanation

    Me thinks thou dost protest too much.

    I assert that those most outspoken against homosexuality are either homosexual themselves or in fear of being homosexual.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  21. icon
    ECA (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 10:30am

    who knows??

    How many of you understand the Old and new testaments..
    Mostly the history.
    Where they came from.
    How Old, in Use they are.

    The old testament is from the Jewish faith. said to be over 3000 years old. And even many jewish groups, debate its meanings and Time frame of those meanings.

    After many Edits, corrections, adjustments, and so forth..It has become many different versions.. with over 40 different Christian groups, pick one.

    New? was found around the 1400's, then only translated a few hundred years ago when we found the Rosetta Stone..
    Which got sorted, and edited, and Adjusted..
    and not many have ever read All of the books..as some were left out, esp those by women.

    So, we lived by the Old testament for along time. And everytime I goto Church, they keep giving the old rules from that testament..

    What is the answer to a 2 year old asking 'Why', The Answer is 'its in the bible'...

    Why do we not Like gay persons? 'Its in the bible' Why? repeat, Why? repeat..

    then history comes and we ship around this planet teaching the Old versions of the bible, DEMANDING, that we are right and they are wrong..

    So, go have fun with it..and try not to Judge any person selfishly.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  22. icon
    roebling (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 10:41am

    And the Catholic Church...

    Waddya bet the Pope wishes they could ship their gay priests off, maybe to some deserted island monastery, before any choirboys could be molested.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  23. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 10:50am

    Re: Re: Re:

    Agreed. It is even worse when they get the blame but not the vote.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  24. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 10:55am

    Re: And the Catholic Church...

    But then there would be no services and therefore no collection plate.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  25. icon
    Thad (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 10:56am

    Re: And the Catholic Church...

    Being a child abuser has nothing to do with being gay.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  26. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 11:10am

    Re: Re: And the Catholic Church...

    Exactly. It's just a bizarre coincidence that homosexual men, about five or ten percent of the male population, were committing the vast majority of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  27. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 12:06pm

    Re: Re: Re: And the Catholic Church...

    Who said they were gay?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  28. icon
    That One Guy (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 12:21pm

    Oh absolutely, I mean really, you didn't see all the women in similar positions of power in the catholic church engaging in similar acts, so clearly it had nothing to do with being in a position of power and abusing it(knowing, or at least strongly suspecting, that the higher-ups would look the other way if not actively defend you), and everything to do with those dastardly men who were surely gay.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  29. icon
    Thad (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 2:15pm

    Re: Re: Re: And the Catholic Church...

    You're conflating homosexual sexual abuse with homosexual consensual relationships. The two things are not the same.

    Jerry Sandusky was married to a woman. So was Dennis Hastert. Both men had consensual sexual relationships with women, and both men sexually abused boys. I'm not aware of any stories of either man having consensual relationships with adult men, or sexually abusing girls. The adults who an abuser has consenting relationships with are not indicative of who they will target for abuse.

    This isn't difficult to understand if you realize that rape and sexual abuse are not expressions of sexual attraction; they are violent acts. Sexual abuse is not about sex, it's about power.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  30. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 9 Nov 2018 @ 2:22pm

    Re: Re: Re: And the Catholic Church...

    You are obviously very confused about what a pedofile is. You should probably just stop and educate yourself before you start looking stupid than you already do.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  31. icon
    Thad (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 2:54pm

    Re:

    The word you just used to describe trans people is a slur; please don't use it.

    (Also, transphobia is not the same thing as homophobia, but the two things are pretty closely associated.)

    link to this | view in thread ]

  32. icon
    That Anonymous Coward (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 4:29pm

    The lengths they will go to demonizing other people to distract from their own bad acts.

    Me thinks she doth protest to much, perhaps instead of turning a witchhunt loose on someone who liked a pop song a bit to much, lets take a look at what the governor is trying to divert attention from that he is up to. There is a whole bunch of evidence to support the idea that the ones screaming the most are secretly pillow biters themselves or doing much much worse things.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  33. icon
    Aaron Walkhouse (profile), 9 Nov 2018 @ 11:24pm

    "Christians" who attempt to live by the old Law…

    …shall die by the Law. ‌ These are the folks who are condemned
    for "casting stumbling blocks" before the sinners, thus actively
    fighting against the same God who is trying to save their souls.

    The Bible [in the New Testament] calls them "antichrists" and
    warns Christians that "by their fruit [actions] shall ye know them."

    link to this | view in thread ]

  34. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2018 @ 7:11am

    Re: "Christians" who attempt to live by the old Law…

    “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.”

    link to this | view in thread ]

  35. identicon
    David, 10 Nov 2018 @ 8:33am

    Re: Re: Obvious explanation

    So what, Captain Obvious? Where would the point bothering about sin if there were no temptation? When hypocrites engage in pissing contests, zealots grow like mushrooms.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  36. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2018 @ 12:20pm

    Re:

    "The world lost its way"

    as if the world once knew wtf they were doing or where they were going - LOL

    The world has been and will continue to be almost completely clueless as to where they are going (metaphorically) and what they need to be doing.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  37. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2018 @ 12:23pm

    Re: Re: Re: Obvious explanation

    "When hypocrites engage in pissing contests, zealots grow like mushrooms."

    You mean like in florida, georgia and arizona where they claim that counting all the votes is "stealing the election"?

    Like that?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  38. identicon
    David, 10 Nov 2018 @ 3:48pm

    Re: Re: And the Catholic Church...

    Not being ok with your urges has something to do with trying to seek refuge in celibacy, though. And not being ok with being gay is not so very much unaligned with at least traditional catholicism though some fundamental protestants can be way worse. But they don't have the celibacy connection.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  39. identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 10 Nov 2018 @ 6:27pm

    Re:

    Thank you martin Luther Queen.

    Gays are like those creepy guys women complain about who hover in the friendzone, except they do it to men, and lie about their sexual orientation for stealth and plausible deniability. Heterosexuals who define themselves by their sexuality are thought perverts, but gays do it and they are "proud." Men who don't like creepy gays preying on them are "homophobic," yet women who don't like creepy heterosexual men preying on them are "metoo victims."

    Assuming gays and straight men are "equal," every negative stereotype feminists apply to straight men being predatory would apply a hundred times more to gay men preying on straight men, and they do it while lying about being gay in the first place.

    Countries which aren't hung up on PC culture are anti-gay because they see the truth. Gay men protest but that's because the truth strikes a nerve in these sick predators.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  40. identicon
    OGquaker, 10 Nov 2018 @ 10:23pm

    Re: "antiquated religious beliefs"

    "The produce of the earth is a gift from our gracious Creator to the inhabitants, and to impoverish the earth now to Support outward greatness appears to be an injury to the succeeding age."
    Quaker John Woolman (1720-1772)

    The modern sandwich is from about the same time, and requires an opposable thumb, seldom of any use in our Modern lives.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  41. identicon
    OGquaker, 10 Nov 2018 @ 11:05pm

    Re: who knows??

    Yea, the Cesarean Christians burned down the library of Alexander twice, de-skinning the librarian and throwing her into the Mediterranean. Then they tossed half the books of the bible and re-wrote everything into a completely vertical power structure at Constantinople.
    That jerk King James (KJV) was almost as destructive as coalition forces in Iraq; covering Mesopotamia with an aerosol of 'depleted uranium'. History that doesn't support the status-quo has to go.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  42. identicon
    OGquaker, 10 Nov 2018 @ 11:14pm

    Re: Re: Child Abusers.....

    And being Gay has nothing to do with child abuse. Try to remember: ignorance is a verb.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  43. identicon
    Lawrence D’Oliveiro, 10 Nov 2018 @ 11:57pm

    BGaaS

    “... homosexuals ... advertising and selling their services on the internet”

    Being Gay as a Service?

    Pioneered on the TanzaniCloud ... remember folks, you heard it here first!

    Seems unfair that being gay can be a revenue earner, but being straight cannot.

    Maybe that’s what he’s jealous about?

    link to this | view in thread ]

  44. icon
    Thad (profile), 13 Nov 2018 @ 8:54am

    Re: Re:

    Yeah, we get it. You're a bigot.

    link to this | view in thread ]

  45. icon
    btr1701 (profile), 13 Nov 2018 @ 1:30pm

    Re: hmmm

    UPDATE: 11/5/18

    The Tanzanian government says it does not back Regional Commissioner Paul Makonda's massive crackdown on gay citizens. Stating that it "does not represent" government policy, reports BBC Africa.

    "Mr Makonda was only airing his personal opinion," rather than government policy, said the government in a statement. Adding that the government would "continue to respect and uphold all human rights as provided for in the country's constitution."

    link to this | view in thread ]

  46. icon
    joneshalcyonn (profile), 19 Aug 2020 @ 2:08am

    This is a good idea, thank you for sharing. I will consult carefully before deciding to register! https://tunnel-rush.com

    link to this | view in thread ]


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