Zambia Seeks HIV Test for Presidential Candidates

The Zambian government was expected to present this week a bill compelling presidential candidates to undergo an HIV/AIDS test, a parliament source confirmed Thursday. "It is true the bill is among those coming for reading before the adjournment on Friday. Members of parliament are expected to expediently pass it," said the source, who declined to be named.

However, opposition Heritage Party presidential candidate Brigadier General Godfrey Miyanda said passing such a bill was discriminatory and an infringement of human rights. "As much as it is proper to ensure that all presidential candidates are in a healthy state, the timing of this bill is rather suspicious," Miyanda said. "Their choice of HIV/AIDS for legislation is discriminatory because there are other equally serious diseases such as prostate cancer and obesity which may lead to sudden heart attack," Miyanda said, adding that such legislation would defeat the fight against stigmatization of HIV/AIDS. In Zambia, HIV/AIDS prevalence is thought to be as high as 20 percent of the total population.

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