Zambia's President Hakainde Hichilema has said that gay practices cannot be condoned because the country is a Christian nation.

President Hichilema said the country can only "realign sound democratic values with other countries", local media reports.

Last month, the president denied holding talks on gay rights during his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in the US.

Some media sources had earlier reported that a planned meeting between President Hichilema and President Joe Biden had been cancelled following anti-gay remarks made by Zambian Vice-President Mutale Nalumango.