Zimbabwe President Mugabe Proposes To Obama, Mocks Gay Marriage Supreme Court Decision

Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe clinches his fist while shouting 'Amandla' (Power in Xhosa and Zulu) during the signing of various memorandum of understanding with South Africa at the Union Buildings in Pretoria ( STEFAN HEUNIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe jokingly said he would travel to the White House and propose to U.S. President Barack Obama, who lauded a historic Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage legal in all 50 American states last week. The Zimbabwean leader mocked the 5-4 court decision and condemned marriage equality during his weekly radio interview with the country’s national radio station, ZBC, on Saturday, according to media reports.

 “I’ve just concluded since President Obama endorses the same-sex marriage, advocates homosexual people and enjoys an attractive countenance – thus if it becomes necessary, I shall travel to Washington, D.C., get down on my knee and ask his hand,” Mugabe, 91, was quoted as saying by Turkey-based news website AWDnews.

Mugabe, who was elected Zimbabwe’s president in 1987, said the United States was run by perverted Satan-worshippers. “I can’t understand how this people dare to defy Christ’s explicit orders as our Lord prohibited mankind from sodomy,” he said, according to AWDnews.

The Zimbabwean dictator, who strongly opposes homosexuality, has made countless controversial remarks against the LGBT community in the past. Mugabe, who is also the African Union chairperson, has said that gay people are lower than “pigs, goats and birds” and they should go to “hell,” according toNewsweek.

"Let Europe keep their homosexual nonsense there and live with it. We will never have it here. The act [of homosexuality] is not humane," Mugabe reportedly said in a July 2013 speech to his ruling Zanu PF party supporters. "Any diplomat who talks about homosexuality will be kicked out. There is no excuse and we won't listen to them."

Homosexuality is barred in Zimbabwe and Mugabe has criticized Obama for encouraging gay rights on the African continent. “We have this American president, Obama, born of an African father, who is saying we will not give you aid if you don’t embrace homosexuality. We ask, was he born out of homosexuality?” Mugabe reportedly said at a 2013 campaign rally.

The U.S. court decision to legalize gay marriage nationwide came just before Zimbabwe’s neighbor, Mozambique, decriminalized homosexuality and abortion. Gay rights advocates called the move a “symbolic victory” for the LGBT community in Africa, Newsweek reported.