Mugabe: David Cameron 'Satanic' For Supporting Gay Right

Zimbabwe's President Rober Mugabe is stepping-up his anti-western rhetoric ahead of the elections, calling the Prime Minister "Satanic" for threatening to withhold aid from countries that do not respect gay rights.

"It becomes worse and satanic when you get a Prime Minister like Cameron saying countries that want British aid should accept homosexuality," Mugabe said in a speech Wednesday.

"To come with that diabolic suggestion to our people is a stupid offer," he reportedly said

Mugabe referred to a speech Cameron made during the Commonwealth summit in October, in which he called on countries receiving British aid to respect human rights, including gay rights.

Homosexuality in Zimbabwe, like in many African countries, is illegal.

Under the power-deal agreement signed with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, before elections can be held, the country must first draw a new constitution.

Tsvangirai surprised the international community and many Zimbabwean last month when he said during an interview with the BBC that he supported gay rights.

"It's a very controversial subject in my part of the world. My attitude is that I hope that the constitution will come out with freedom of sexual orientation, for as long as it does not interfere with anybody," the PM said.

However Mugabe has condemned suggestions that gay rights should be enshrined in the new constitution as "madness".

"Do not get tempted into that (homosexuality). You are young people. If you go that direction, we will punish you severely," Mugabe said Wednesday.

"It is condemned by nature. It is condemned by insects and that is why I have said they are worse than pigs and dogs," he said, according to The Herald.

38 African countries currently have laws penalising homosexuality and just Wednesday three men were sentenced a five-year jail sentence for engaging in gay sex in Cameroon.