'Gays misusing their God-given sex organs,' says Mugabe

PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has unleashed another of his now customary jibes at gays and lesbians, this time accusing them of "misusing" their God-given sex organs.

Mugabe made the attack Sunday afternoon while addressing thousands of party supporters who thronged Marondera's Rudhaka stadium to celebrate his 90th birthday.

"We are created as men and women so we can have children," he said.

"Zvema gay hatizvizive isu; hatidi kuzvinzva futi. Tirivanhu vanoziva kuti masikirwo atakaitwa nezvombo zvatakapihwa zvakanzi rudzi rwurambe ruchienderera mberi.

"Hazvina kunzi unongozvambarara panemumwe wako. Mudzimai anozvambarara panemumwe mudzimai! Ndo magay iwawo. Baba iwee!

"Takapihwa chiratidzo cha Adam naEva. Ndo vaviri vakatangaka. So there we are. But use your organs properly. If you use them improperly, they will reject you and say ah, you have misused us."

Mugabe's taunts at gays did not come as a surprise as he has made it customary in his usually lengthy public addresses to attack them; at one point describing them as "worse than pigs and dogs".

Despite these abuses, Zimbabwe does have a tiny gay community which has however remained largely invisible lot, with most gay unions made in secrecy.

Meanwhile, in his salutations at the beginning of speech, President Mugabe made an affectionate acknowledgment of his much younger wife, Grace, who accompanied him with their children to the celebrations.

"I am 90 years not alone. I am 90 years with her. She has been the caretaker, the provider, the sustainer, the lover. So we don't forget her when we celebrate," he said.

Zimbabwe's elderly leader, who returned home Saturday from another eye operation in the Far East, looked recharged in a speech that lasted a full hour plus eight minutes.

He said he felt like a nine-year-old as opposed to his 90, thanking the Almighty for preserving his life while most of his liberation wartime peers are long gone.