A coalition of churches in Botswana has kicked against a fresh decision of the parliament to amend the country’s constitution to include gay rights.

This came after Kabo Morwaegn, the country’s minister for state president, introduced a constitutional amendment bill for the first reading on Wednesday.

The inclusion of a clause that will “protect and prohibit discrimination of intersex persons and persons with a disability” was among the proposed amendments.

A cleric with Apostolic Faith Mission, Abraham Kedisang, expressed his disappointment at the development in amending the constitution.

“As the AFM Botswana, we express our grave concerns regarding the tabling and ultimate debate by parliament of these proposed amendments without the benefit of the people’s engagement and contribution.

“These provisions portend grave threat for our Christian way of life, our democracy and, indeed, our republic as we have known it over the many decades,” Mr Kedisang said.

In 2019, Botswana’s High Court decriminalised same-sex relations after a legal challenge.

Also, in July 2023, the government proposed a bill to incorporate gay rights into the constitution.

However, hundreds of opponents protested the development.

Reacting, Mr Kedisang said the church has the right to challenge the proposed changes, despite the court’s 2019 pronouncement.

“The disturbing provision in the constitution [Amendment] bill 2024, No. 4 of 2024, which threatens to destroy the cardinal structure of family life at the heart of Botswana’s cherished Christian way of life, through the bringing of ‘intersex’ legal provision that seeks to change the binary male and female structure of our society established and enacted by the almighty God,” he said.

A group, Lesbians, Gay and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) supported the court judgement in 2019.

The group’s chief executive, Thato Moruti, revealed that the constitutional amendments were about protecting human rights and not a religious issue.

“The nation must separate religious beliefs from human rights matters,” Mr Moruti said.

He added “This issue of decriminalisation is a human rights matter, it is not a religious matter. It is an issue that is concerned with reducing systematic disadvantages on other people, especially the LGBTQI persons.”