Tanzania bans lube in bid to ‘curb homosexuality’

Men who have sex with men can be sentenced to life imprisonment in the east African country.

The Tanzanian government has banned the import and sale of sexual lubricants as part of a sustained crackdown on the country’s LGBTQ+ community.

«It is true that the government has banned the importation and use of the jelly to curb the spread of HIV», Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu told local media. She said that lubricant encourages homosexuality, which is against the law in the east African country and can be punished by life imprisonment.

Tanzania is one of several commonwealth countries which criminalise gay sex. Although the law isn’t enforced as strictly as in some other parts of east Africa, activists fear the situation is getting worse, independent.co.uk reports.