Uganda, Africa

To reduce sectarian violence, Ugandan political parties were restricted in their activities from 1986-2005. In the non-party "Movement" system instituted by Yoweri Museveni, political parties continued to exist, but they could only operate a headquarter office. They could not open branches, hold rallies or field candidates directly (although electoral candidates could belong to political parties). A constitutional referendum canceled this nineteen-year ban on multi-party politics in July 2005. Presidential elections were held in February 2006. Yoweri Museveni won against several candidates. As usual the result were challenged but the country is relatively stable except for rebel activity in the northeast. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and gay activists are regularly harassed and taken into custody then released. It is the first country in the world to have a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage (since 2004).

 

News & Reports:

 

Thabo Mbeki’s Pro-Gay Statement Boosts Gay Rights Defenders In Uganda

Former South African president, Thabo Mbeki has criticized Uganda’s anti homosexuality bill, saying sex between consenting adults “is really not the matter of law.” Kampala’s Daily Monitor newspaper reported on Monday that the visiting former head of state’s comments will come as “a boost to the crusaders of gay rights in Uganda.” Fittingly, Mbeki’s comments… Read more »

They Will Say We Are Not Here

These are fragments of David Kato, glimpses of a Ugandan activist and friend who – one year ago today – was brutally murdered. These moments offer a perspective on the inner world that David shared with us, a world teeming with passion and relentless determination, good humor and vivid daydreams. During our first days in… Read more »

Ex-South African president: Ugandan anti-gay bill makes no sense

The former president of South Africa, Thabo MBeki, has criticised Uganda’s infamous anti-gay bill, saying it “doesn’t make sense” to intervene. Mr Mbeki was taking questions at the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR) in Kampala when he was asked about the draft legislation and specifically what he would say to its sponsor, the Daily… Read more »

Uganda Gay Rights Advocate Calls For Scrapping Of Anti-Prostitution Laws

A Ugandan advocate for sex workers and homosexual rights, Busingye Kabumba has said prostitution and anti-abortion laws should be repealed to encourage the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young women. Kabumba, a lecturer at Makerere University’s Faculty of Law in Kampala also said there is a “Need to streamline the Ugandan legal framework… Read more »

Frank Mugisha, Ugandan Gay Activist, Receives Death Threats, Fears For His Life

A Ugandan gay activist who wrote a New York Times op-ed piece in December, speaking out against homophobia in his country enforced by the government and the police, has received threats and says he fears for his life, afraid to even go shopping alone or eat in a restaurant for fear of being poisoned. “Just… Read more »

Uganda: New Complaint Lodged In Homophobic Smear Conspiracy Case

The Chief Registrar of Uganda’s Courts will on January 18 rule whether the magistrate handling the landmark homophobic smear conspiracy case against three Christian anti–gay preachers is biased against the accused. In a letter dated December 15, 2011, seen by Behind the Mask, the accused preachers claim that the trial magistrate, John Patrick Wekesa has… Read more »

Gay and Vilified in Uganda

When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced this month that the United States would use diplomacy to encourage respect for gay rights around the world, my heart leapt. I knew her words — “gay people are born into, and belong to, every society in the world”— to be true, but in my country they… Read more »

Julius Kaggwa – 2010 Human Rights Award Honoree [video]

Born and raised in Uganda, Julius Kaggwa is an advocate for the human rights of sexual minorities in Uganda and throughout Africa. He is a leader in the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law and directs the Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development (SIPD). Kaggwa has led the fight against… Read more »

‘Visionary’ Jamaican rights activist announced as recipient of inaugural David Kato Award

Global award honouring murdered human rights activist to be presented to Jamaican lawyer, Maurice Tomlinson in London David Kato, the human rights activist murdered in his home in Kampala, Uganda on 26 January 2011, is representative of the millions of individuals worldwide who daily struggle against hostility and persecution simply because of their sexuality. Inspired… Read more »

Uganda LGBTI Press Statement on the 63rd International Human Rights Day in Uganda

A statement from Sexula Minorities Uganda (SMUG) on International Human Rights Day Today the Ugandan LGBTI community joins millions of other Ugandans in commemorating the International Human Rights Day. This day is a time for people worldwide to reflect about the meaning, importance andneed for human rights. It is an occasion for the government and… Read more »

Africa reacts to Obama’s pro-gay rights foreign policy

Most of Africa’s 54 nations ban homosexuality, so President Obama’s promotion of gay rights as a human right draws quick ire from African governments.

Ghanaian gay refugee tells his horrific story

Imagine if your family published a newspaper story saying you were evil, and that the story made some neighbours feel obligated to smash your skull with rocks. There are thousands of stories like this in Africa. This one is horrific but has a happy ending. We know there’s a crisis facing lesbian, gay and transgender… Read more »

The Gray Area of Gay Refugees

A gay Ugandan couple fled to a Kenyan refugee camp after being disowned by their families and threatened by their community Nairobi, Kenya — The two tender, soft-spoken Ugandans shared a circle of good friends back in their hometown of Kampala. They were close with their families and they started a restaurant together. Life was… Read more »

Kenya: The Gray Area of Gay Refugees

A gay Ugandan couple fled to Uganda, thousands of kilometers from home with little more than the clothes on their backs. They came as brothers to live in a scorching refugee camp in northern Kenya. Surrounded by thousands of others who have fled wars and drought in neighboring countries, they came here to save their… Read more »

Gay and Brave

Frank Mugisha was only a teenager when he came out as gay to his family and classmates in Uganda, a country where that admission didn’t just subject him to possible bullying; it put his life at risk. Uganda is one of more than 70 countries worldwide that criminalize consensual gay conduct, and Mugisha says that… Read more »

Uganda’s Health Professionals Finally Recognise Need For LGBTI Inclusion In HIV Programmes

Amidst calls by gay activists for LGBTI inclusion in access to treatment, care and prevention, senior Ugandan health officials have conceded the national HIV/Aids intervention framework is “faltering badly.” At a meeting of health planners, donors and civil society in Kampala on Thursday November 17, the stakeholders acknowledged that Uganda was “The only PEPFAR focus… Read more »

Irresponsible Recommendation for Uganda from Lonely Planet

Well, this is pretty revolting! Lonely Planet, the widely-respected travel information and guidebook company has chosen one of the world’s most homophobic and gay-violent countries as their number one pick for “Best in Travel” listings for 2012 –Uganda, Africa. A country where human rights should more correctly be called religious fundamentalist rights or in-power political… Read more »

Anti-gay Sentiment in Africa is Creating a New Kind of Refugee

I first met Charles at a prayer service for the Jehovah in Nathan Uganda Koboko where even on a Sunday morning, the noise was deafening. The service was part biblical study and part support group. The other men who were worshiping with Charles in the dingy and cavernous room that day were Sudanese, but he… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2011 Sep-Dec

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

Uganda HIV infections shoot up

NEW HIV infections this year have already outstripped those of the previous year by 20,000 people, the executive director of the AIDS Information Centre-Uganda (AIC), Dr. Raymond Byaruhanga, has revealed. The new infections recorded in 2010 stood at 130,000 and they are projected to hit 150,000. The statistics show that there has been an upward… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2011 May-Aug

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2011 Jan-Apr

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

U.S. Pastors Export Bigotry to Uganda

U.S. pastors are exporting bigotry to Uganda, with brutal results. This is an issue close to my heart, because I’ve spent over a decade working for equality as a lay leader in my own church, and now, as acting director of HRC’s Religion and Faith program – which helps religious leaders of all stripes speak… Read more »

Scuffles Disrupt Funeral of Murdered Ugandan Gay Activist David Kato

Here is a revolting story about a funeral that only deranged minister Fred Phelps could admire–and inspire. The behavior described in this story from Reuters (below) is about as blasphemous, disgusting, irreverent and anti-Christ as one could ever expect from a Christian clergyman–as wickedly perverted as Fred Phelps of the gay-hating Westboro church in Kansas,… Read more »

One of Uganda’s Finest Gay Rights Advocates is Murderer

In Memorium: On February 26, 2011 one of Uganda’s finest and most outspoken LGBT rights activist, David Kato, was murdered in cold blood in his home. Friends and activists called him the “grandfather of the kuchus”, a self-applied label by Ugandan LGBTs. GlobalGayz was privileged to interview him for our –‘Gay Uganda’ story in 2008.… Read more »

Stop Uganda’s “Kill The Gays” Bill Author From Entering The U.S.

Richard Ammon, GlobalGayz.com I’m posting this message sent from an activist friend in Uganda.It is incredibly beyond words that this vile man should weasel his way to Washington for a ‘prayer breakfast’ with the President. I am amazed at the gall this bizarre bigot to think he can sit at the same table as Barack… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2010

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

Uganda: Stealing the Spotlight From President Museveni

Neophyte Legislator Proposes Deadly Laws Against Gays: Unleashes International Protest Yoweri Museveni has been president of Uganda for 24 years in a country that had suffered decades of government corruption, mismanagement, bloody guerilla activity and civil war, all preceded by the the horrors of the Idi Amin tyranny in the seventies. His rise to power… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports Oct-Dec 2009

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

How Did These Homophobes Lose Their Humaneness?

(Humaneness: marked by compassion, sympathy, or consideration for humans or animals) Well, isn’t this a sweet headline from a government official: Ugandan Ethics Minister James Nsaba Buturo spoke with journalists today. While acknowledging the great numbers of “foreigners” who express grave concern over the possibility of such a [proposed anti-gay] bill becoming law, he made… Read more »

Proposed Anti Homosexuality Bill in Uganda

Sexual Minorities of Uganda (SMUG) Condemn the Proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill Last year GlobalGayz visited Uganda and met several of the LGBT activists involved in SMUG and other rights organizations. Their story is one of persecution, clandestine living, arrests and police abuse. Just before and after my visit members were harassed by authorities and roughed up… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports Jan-Sep 2009

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Behind the Mask Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2008

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Gay Uganda Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda SMUG HIV – AIDS Report 2008 SMUG HIV – AIDS – Report Appendix – V Same Sex Sexual Behavior. HIV and Health Care in Uganda SMUG HIV – AIDS- Report Appendix – IV Gay… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2007

1 Introduction of Uganda Gay Association 2/07 2 One step forward, two steps back for Africa’s gay people 2/07 3 The Homosexual Struggle is a Human Rights Issue 7/07 4 Museveni’s Lawyer to Help Sodomy Victim 7/07 5 Uganda rejects a gay rights call 8/07 6 Concerns Increase for Safety of LGBT in Nigeria 8/07… Read more »

Gay Uganda News & Reports 2002-2006

Also see: Behind the Mask LGBT African website S.M.U.G. Uganda’s Gay Lesbian Alliance Uganda Blogspot Gay Kampala personals GalaUganda 1 An ignorant homophobic article about the fledgling gay organization GALA 8/02 2 Uganda pan-africanists rap gay sympathizers 7/03 3 Reject Homosexuals and Lesbians, Uganda Anglican Church Urges 8/03 4 New political party for gay Ugandans?… Read more »