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Home Column Opinion Are gays more powerful than Ugandan opposition?

Are gays more powerful than Ugandan opposition?

Tuesday, 09 March 2010 19:39 By Norman Miwambo
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Few well organised and skilled personalities can achieve what non-organised masses can fail. That is exactly what the global gay-community is doing in regard to Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s proposed Anti-gay Bill in Parliament.

The inclusion of death penalty for homosexual and non-homosexual offences, totally adulterated the Bill. Organised advocacy can work better for politicians than encouraging the masses to hold street demos which expose them to the risk of being brutalised by armed forces. That is exactly, how the pro-gay community, have managed to cuff the Uganda government to nearly backing off the controversial Anti-gay Bill. There is even now a video on the internet that details how dangerous the anti-gay bill is to everybody, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“I am very grateful to Rob Tisinai for making a master class YouTube video that explains the full horrors of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill,” says human rights campaigner, Peter Tatchell of OutRage when referring to a short video by Rob which explains the full and deadly clauses in the Bill.

The bill currently before the Ugandan Parliament was sponsored by MP Bahati from the ruling party National Resistance Movement (NRM). The bill also has some clauses calling for a death penalty for anybody guilty of homosexual acts.

Ever since the bill was introduced last year, it has attracted worldwide condemnation. Early last month, the US President Barack Obama and his Secretary of State, Ms Hillary Rodham Clinton castigated the bill. Canadian and British prime ministers have also expressed concern.

 The bill extends the existing penalty of life imprisonment for anal intercourse to all other same-sex behaviour, including the mere touching of another person with the intent to have homosexual relations and imposes a life imprisonment sentence for contracting a same-sex marriage.

Although, Uganda’s Ethics and Integrity Minister James Nsaba Buturo supports the bill, in an exclusive communiqué to this reporter about the Anti-gay Bill in Uganda’s parliament, the UK Minister of State for Africa, Baroness Kinnock, indicated that the British government is so disturbed by the bill that it has let the Ugandan government know about its objection: “We are very concerned about the bill and have made this clear in numerous representations to the Uganda government. Most recently, the Prime Minister raised the issue with Ugandan President Museveni at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Trinidad,” said Ms Kinnock.

President Museveni himself appreciates the power of the West as reflected in his speech last month to members of his party conference about his experience during CHOGM in Trinidad & Tobago: “The Prime Minister of Canada came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays. Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays. Mrs Clinton [US Secretary of State] rang me. What was she talking about? Gays. There was a rally in New York of 300,000 homosexuals. Now, I would want to challenge you members of Parliament, how many of you, other than me, have had a rally of 300,000 people?

The UK Minister of State for Africa, Ms Kinnock, added: “Likewise, I raised the issue with Uganda’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sam Kutesa, also at CHOGM. The UK High Commissioner in Kampala takes every appropriate opportunity to engage Ugandan Ministers on the issue.

“We have also lobbied through the EU, Sweden, who held the EU Presidency in Uganda, led EU demarche to Ugandan Foreign Ministry in December. The European Parliament has also called on the Uganda authorities not to approve the bill in a resolution passed on 17 December,” last year.

 Kinnock expressed fears about the Bill saying it’s detrimental to those who offer services for the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda. “Our concerns include the negative impact the bill would have on the rights of homosexual and heterosexual Ugandans through the criminalisation of any action that could be construed as support for homosexuality,” reads part of the letter.

It adds: “This could be extremely detrimental to the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda as, in theory, most donor agencies and international non-governmental organisations could be encompassed under this law. The UK is also in close touch with and is supporting Ugandan civil society organisations campaigning against the bill. We will continue to follow the passage of the bill and to lobby against its introduction,”

Under the current provisions of the bill being a member to organisations advocating and funding gay human rights and providing condoms or safer sex advice to gay people can be construed as supporting or promoting homosexuality and  would therefore attract a sentence of between five and seven years in jail.

“It shows that this Bill is far more lethal and wide-reaching than most people realise. Ugandans don’t have to be gay or to have gay sex to be sentenced to death,” said Tatchell.

Under the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, the crime of “serial offender” is punishable by execution. A serial offender is a person who has “previous convictions” for “homosexuality or related offences.”

In other words, if a Ugandan has previous convictions for offences in the Bill and then has a subsequent conviction he or she will be classified as a serial offender and face execution.

 “Related offences” in the Bill that can result in a death sentence for serial offenders include non-sexual acts such as: aiding and abetting homosexuality, advocating same-sex relationships or LGBT rights, having a same-sex marriage, publicising or funding pro-LGBT organisations, using the internet or a mobile phone for the purpose of homosexuality or its promotion, being a person in authority who fails to report an offender to the police within 24 hours.

These related offences are crimes that could be also committed by a heterosexual person. It is not just LGBT Ugandans who are threatened by this legislation, potential foreign visitors too are threatened by the bill. Under the bill, all convicted serial offenders are liable to execution, regardless of their sexuality. So who is safe? There might be nobody.

The writer is a Ugandan living in the United Kingdom

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To see the video on the Uganda bill
written by Rob Tisinai, March 10, 2010
Thanks for mentioning the video. Anyone who is curious can see it here:

http://wakingupnow.com/blog/uganda-kill-everyone-video
Mangoes and tomatoes
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010
The writer of this article is mistaken . One should never compare mangoes with tomatoes . The gay movement that is making all this noise and producing videos is operating from outside of Uganda . They are organised as a special interest group . The opposition is based in Uganda where it deals with things that are not easy to judge . There are times when it can be said that the opposition has been smarter than Musevenis government .But that is a small part of a long story Its equally naive for one to declare that the gay community has won this war . It quite unlikely that Uganda will ever embrace homosexuality .
Homosexuals and their supporters are in for a shock if they think that this is over .
Mangoes and tomatoes
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010
The writer of this article is mistaken . One should never compare mangoes with tomatoes . The gay movement that is making all this noise and producing videos is operating from outside of Uganda . They are organised as a special interest group . The opposition is based in Uganda where it deals with things that are not easy to judge . There are times when it can be said that the opposition has been smarter than Musevenis government .But that is a small part of a long story Its equally naive for one to declare that the gay community has won this war . It quite unlikely that Uganda will ever embrace homosexuality .
Homosexuals and their supporters are in for a shock if they think that this is over .
jespa
written by solo, March 10, 2010
Jespa you must be mistaken if you for one moment think that we
Ugandan homosexuals think this war is over. It has just began and
we know we are in it for the the long haul.
Solo
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010
Miwambo`s article gives a wrong impression . That is what my comment is about . If you are a homosexual , you should have read that many homosexuals think that they are so " powerful " they have stopped Uganda government to make very strong ant-gay laws . My opinion is that Miwambo and many homosexuals have failed to realize that the only part of Bahati`bill that some Ugandan organisations are opposed to is capital punishment. You may want to know that these same Human rights blocs are already against the death penalty anyway - regardless of the crime committed. This means that when or if the death penalty is ammended out of Bahatis bill , the homosexuals will have it tough and rough ´not only in Uganda , but allover Africa.

Just watch !.
Jespa
written by gayuganda, March 10, 2010
Maybe what you havent realised, Jespa, is that that terrible bill, and the fact that some Ugandans, our fellow Ugandans think that it is good in the name of god to kill us and that that has galvanised us.

Of course we are a minority. But, we also have lots of stuff on our side. think of us as David against your Goliath. And, with that you might understand what we mean.

to say that most of the larger organisations are against the bill because of the death penalty is to be simplistic. Read the Catholic letter. Read the letter from the UJCC. that video is about only the death penalty. But....

anyway, just know it that also Ugandan, and African homosexuals have had a wake up call.

we are few. I still bet on us winning.

gug
...
written by Major Adam Kifaliso, March 10, 2010
m7 is a coward afraid of well organised groups , he preffers mengo , seya's DP to his raw brute and premitive insticts ,
Minority
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010

There are many sexual minorities in Uganda and elsewhere, gayman .There is nothing simplist here.. I have read what all these groups ,have written. I n a nutshell they think that you homosexuals are sick or invalids that need treatment or prayer and not prison of death . I am sure that these groups would say the same if Uganda was about to pass a law that may send rapists and other people who practice un-natural sex to the gas chamber. The writer of this article and you gay people should not confuse " sympathy " with " rights " or "power"
Minority
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010

There are many sexual minorities in Uganda and elsewhere, gayman .There is nothing simplist here.. I have read what all these groups ,have written. I n a nutshell they think that you homosexuals are sick or invalids that need treatment or prayer and not prison of death . I am sure that these groups would say the same if Uganda was about to pass a law that may send rapists and other people who practice un-natural sex to the gas chamber. The writer of this article and you gay people should not confuse " sympathy " with " rights " or "power"
Minority
written by Jespa, March 10, 2010

There are many sexual minorities in Uganda and elsewhere, gayman .There is nothing simplist here.. I have read what all these groups ,have written. I n a nutshell they think that you homosexuals are sick or invalids that need treatment or prayer and not prison of death . I am sure that these groups would say the same if Uganda was about to pass a law that may send rapists and other people who practice un-natural sex to the gas chamber. The writer of this article and you gay people should not confuse " sympathy " with " rights " or "power"
jasper
written by solo, March 11, 2010
In my humble opinion those who think that by remov ing the death penalty from this bill
will make a big diffrence are gravely mistaken.
Those opposed to the bill may have used it as a ralling point but I think they are being dishonest at best.

Most of the proponents of this bill genuienly beileve that they are right just like the withe minority in south Africa believed in apartied how ever they were wrong and so are bahati and co.
Shouldn this bill pass we will not only challenge it in court but also lobby the international community to impose sanctions on uganda similar to those given to south africa and Zimbabwe.
Given that there are numerous elected openly gay important figures in the west we are hopeful
The west is a waste
written by Jespa, March 11, 2010
Dear solo ,

I am sorry to have to inform you that apatheid collapsed because the great MAJORITY in South Africa and all Africa opposed it . Homosexuality is considered a perversion by a great MAJORITY of Ugandans , and Africans , that is why it is being rejected. That is why Rwanda , Burundi , Nigeria, Malawi , Zimbabwe and more than 46 other African nations support Bahatis bill - minus its proposal for the death penaulty .

Lobby on !
written by Jespa, March 11, 2010

It matters less whether there are openly gay important figures in the West . If they want to change the World , they should start by doing away with their bigamy laws as we have come to know that most important figures in the West are not monogamists by practice .
Go ahead and lobby the international community all you want . You will soon find out that the same international community has failed to stop China from executing its citizens for minor offencies , has not imposed sanctions on Soud Arabia for having laws that allow men to marry children , or shunned India for tolerating incest .


Counter productive
written by Jespa, March 11, 2010
To tell you the truth , I did not mind that homosexuals are there and should be left alone to go about their lives . But when I look at the way you behave , I change my mind . You are using the West to impose a practice that you well know is not easily acceptable in Uganda , let alone 3/4 of the World . That is not right . If I were a Ugandand MP , I would vote for the Anti-gay law , thought I would not want to see anyone hanged for anything .
majority
written by solo, March 12, 2010
Hiltler was elected and the majority of Germans supported the holocust . I think that is your argument - the third riech collapsed because the of foreign forces.
My point is that we Ugandan homosexuals will fight for ourselves first but if need be
we will use the help supporters outside here.
I do not speak for any one else but my self , however we do not need your support jespa.
I think you need to read more about gay rights all over the world. In particular I will refer to
the ruling by the Indian High court last year amidst protests similar to yours from all religius and cultural leaders.
I think that you are aware that the US has the death penalty for many crimes .So this is not the issue
...
written by solo, March 12, 2010
In my case I think that my homosexuality is about choice.
My choice to sleep with a person I want as long as they are willing adults too.
I do not know how this should be the business of any one else.
Jasper with exception of the muslim world, the caribbean and most of subsaharan Africa
which constitutes less than 1/4 of the world. What the west is imposing is democracy.
From the list above, all liberal democracies tolerate the practice.

the struggle
written by solo, March 12, 2010
Without much lobbing we have got world leader to get the President here to try to stop
this bill.
It may have taken the west time to act against apartheid and the Serbs in Bosnia but eventually they did.
Some of us have to make these sacrifices if necessary .
Referring to homosexuals as sick is akin to "born again" who refer to others as " lost souls" .
We will also not tolerate you people imposing on us our religions/ cultures.

You are confused
written by Jespa, March 12, 2010
Solo , you so confused your left hand does not know what your right one is doing . First , you said that you will lobby and call upon the international community to help you . Now you have turned around to say that your sexuality is a private choice that has nothing to do with anybody else but you and your partner . Which is which ?

Do you want the me and the Bahatis to endorse and give you permission to love as you want , or do you think that those who are publishing videos are making a mistake of turning a private choice into a puplic nightmare for homos who live in countries where the practice is considered a perversion ?
You really need to think through this very carefully .
jasper you win
written by solo, March 13, 2010
There is a saying that never argue with a fool.......
I personally feel gays or homos have a mental problem. I’ve even failed to imagine how they do their thing.
I often pray that this debate should come to an end because the more we talk about it the more silly arguments in favour of it will always be raised by the Mwendas and Nagendas of this world as our children are listening. Then, the Presidential Advisor on the Media, John Nagenda leaves an innuendo that Bahati is insane and should stop the wishful thinking that he is protecting the children, for Bahati’s children may one day be gay. _ Odongo otto MP


How bizzare!
written by Imhotep, March 14, 2010
There we go having the Solos of this world thinking like mental pygmies, that somehow the sick practice of homosexuality shall take hold in Africa. Never shall this happen in a million years. Just like you cannot for example breathe naturally from your rear, so will it not take root. The dust-raising we are seeing today is called "foreign policy" on the part of the West. And if you read the true history of the human race, this practice started to materialise after the ice age, when the African cum European lost his melanin, something that attached him to his God, the Earth. It is a perverted sick act that is buried deep in the White man's psyche that he uses as a weapon to undermine your morality hence curtailing your development.
...
written by Imhotep, March 14, 2010
When the white Arabs came to Africa, they introduced this perversion to the Kings and Chiefs of the land enslaving their spirits in the process and obviously their people. Today Africa is begining to see the light again, and yet it is intrinsic in the white man to enslave you, so he goes in his drawer and pulls out this, so that your development is forestalled. "The Sons of God married the daughters of men" in your bible means that the African Pharoahs of yesteryear married to the throan the mutated white women of Europe who had come back south after the melting of the ice, as they were bewitched by their skin colour. It was since these times that the African has stayed where he is.
Continued
written by Imhotep, March 14, 2010
Until we as Africans unravel these mysteries, which is happening by the way even though it is unseen to most of us, the African cannot heal himself and thus the world cannot regain its equilibrium. These words am writing on here cannot be understood by the common man for the common man, "has got eyes but he cannot see", his spirit is still enslaved. We can try and use all the terminology and high calibre jargon we learnt at the university created by the white man, but until our spirits are freed, we stand no chance of being who we really are, Lords unto ourselves. Hotep.
On Which Planet Is Jespa?
written by Moses Okello, March 15, 2010
Using the West to impose a practice is an outrageous assertion. Successful Ugandans live a western lifestyle. A challenge to Jespa, get to any Police Station, post post’s SDB [Station daily Book] and list the crimes registered against Homosexuality, then get us [Independent readers] the results.
It very bad and dangerous to have fixated brains, your conservatism will continue to misplace your understanding. With your kind of reasoning, you can’t have power to convince the electorates to vote you for any constituency. Continues
...
written by Moses Okello, March 15, 2010

In the article there is a quotation from a desperate person. Statement such as: “The Prime Minister of Canada came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays. Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to see me and what was he talking about? Gays. Mrs Clinton [US Secretary of State] rang me. What was she talking about? Gays. There was a rally in New York of 300,000 homosexuals. Now, I would want to challenge you members of Parliament, how many of you, other than me, have had a rally of 300,000 people?”
...
written by Moses Okello, March 15, 2010
If the Jespa’s can’t see the reality then referrals to attend to brain experts need to be offered. We need not to think primitively. We need to live dynamically, tolerant and adoptable. Much us one needs to respect his/her culture; there should be similar chance to those who chose to be LGBT s. Continues....
...
written by Moses Okello, March 15, 2010
There are people who are being used to fight the wars they know not. People like Jespa are fighting a political and winnable war. The architectures of this Anti-gay Bill were smart. After knowing the use of Obotesm, Aminsm are no long a weapon to bar potential political contenders, from contesting in the 2011 presidential elections. However, this time, it was a very poor judgement, this is not something one can dip a finger into!
Stop bragging homos
written by Lakwena, March 15, 2010
The homos are out here bragging ha. Hon Odonga Otto said that a mad person has no right to remain mad. I am fed up of these homos. If the anti-gay bill fails and they refuse rehabilitation, Ugandans will resort to uncouth methods of dealing with them. They are not different from rapists for whom Miraim Matmebe prescribed castration. In one of the States in the US; I think California, even minor offenders like shoplifters and petty thieves are locked up for life (after three convictions), if they became serial offenders and nuisances. So, it is in order to sentence homos to life imprisonment. Gays are not normal human beings. A tree that is fruitless is cut into lumber or firewood, if it can't even be grafted. That is how useless homos are.
Misconception about the West.
written by Lakwena, March 15, 2010
There is a general misconception about the West: That the West is morally perverse and loose. Not so. In America and Europe Conservatism still rules. Sexual liberalism is only a Hollywood and media thing. Prostitution in general and homosexuality in particular are frowned at. It is a gutter lifestyle, not worth a word of respect and human rights. Like here, Boda boda riders are a nuisance, but Museveni and the NRM functionally use them for votes. In the US homosexuals are just used as numbers for votes. Homos are good for proliferating diseases; which in return is good for research and the pharmaceutical industries. The bigger the market the better. Considering the level of ignorance, Africa is a perfect destination.
bragging rights
written by solo, March 16, 2010

I say it again this is a war and it is not over.
This unprovoked war will be met with all possible retaliation.
Those that think we should beg them are mistaken.
Those that threaten extra judicial action must know that they
will answer to the laws and can also be subject to extra judicial acts.
All I can say is that when people lose the argument they abuse the opposition
and try to shut them up.
cultural changes
written by solo, March 16, 2010
In the late eighties when the HIV epidemic hit Uganda a lot of Ugandans
protested the promotion of condoms as a means to reduce on this epidemic.
They argued that in our culture we do not talk about sex, besides this was encouraging
fornication and adultery. Fortunately for many Ugandans a few leader prevailed.
even today we still have those that think like that and would ban condoms now.
Yet we also know that despite the deadliness of the disease a number of people did
and continue to have sex live. My point Keep the death penalty see if it makes a difference.
Lakwena
written by Moses Okello, March 17, 2010
Lakwena, I would love you to be my girl friend. You will enjoy it. You will never like to abandon me. For sure the gay people are not sick as your hypothesis. I commend the writer of the article for taking keen interest in this subject. The homos are not just bragging as you tend to think, they mean what they say. They are well organized and not pretenders. If you think that, they are joking post your true name and e-mail contacts on here. Continues......
...
written by Moses Okello, March 17, 2010
They will be able to lobby to all western countries to restrict your movements to those countries. Any body trying to cause hatred to a certain group of people is considered as former German Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler. Your way of thinking is pathetic and evil. How can you support someone planning to kill innocent people? You need to get to The Hague, because you refuse to get to Butabika for rehabilitation. I think you should have scrounged a leaf from Mr Museveni's quotations.
Security officer
written by R/O5387 sendi mayambala, March 17, 2010
The Behati bill should be approved, for the fact Man is man, food is for mouth,feases thou anus men wake up. Respect your uganda GOD,he can opt to destroy it like sodom and gomolla becouse of you minority.Werather loss you minority,and we save our mother state UG.For God and my country.
ALL CRIMINALS ARE ORGANIZED
written by Lakwena, March 18, 2010
Ya Moses Okello, you are right. But are you gay too? Gays are organized like all criminals are organized. Without which they can't successfully execute their crimes. And I think Moses Okello is not your real name, but that of a pretender. Your real name must be Lababa! Who cares about being restricted from going to those Western countries of yours? First of all they don't want you there because you are just pests. They only want to take away the little that you have (the air ticket you pay for). Otherwise your going there is a nuisance; whatever your contributions are negligible. Another thing, hatred is a normal or natural human instinct due to stimuli- response dynamics. Even animals hate. That is why dogs and snakes bite.
Am Not Gay
written by Moses Okello, March 25, 2010
Lakwena, am not a gay but a human rights activist. I can't accept your version to persecute and kill innocent people.
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