The Ugandan Inquisition
Currents
There's a contradiction in the midst of Uganda's supposedly loving Christian culture: the systematic persecution of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people through the Anti-Homosexuality Act. This legislation, whose roots are grounded in colonial-era morality and reinforced by contemporary prejudice, has made Uganda one of the most repressive, tyrannical, and dangerous places on Earth for LGBT people. The law's evolution, from the initial 2009 bill to the 2014 and 2023 acts, imposes increasingly harsh penalties for same-sex relations, including life imprisonment and even execution. As a gay man living in Uganda, I have seen firsthand how the Anti-Homosexuality Act's far-reaching grasp has both fed on and amplified a climate of violence, discrimination, and fear.
Homophobia, as a human universal, existed in Uganda long before the Anti-Homosexuality Act. But for many centuries, these biases were reflected only in the culture, not the law. That changed during colonial rule when the Victorian-era British passed laws criminalizing same-sex relations. Later on, when Uganda gained independence in 1962, the pre-existing British laws were inherited and grandfathered in, however, it wasn’t until the early 21st century that the issue of homosexuality became a focal point of national debate. In 2009, Member of Parliament David Bahati introduced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which proposed draconian measures, including the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality.” The bill sparked international outrage and condemnation, leading to its temporary withdrawal. However, in 2013, a revised version of the bill was passed by the Ugandan Parliament, criminalizing same-sex relations with penalties ranging from life imprisonment to death in certain cases.
This bill became the 2014 Anti-Homosexuality Act, which marked a turning point in Uganda’s legal landscape regarding LGBT rights. While Uganda was far from an LGBT haven previously, this legislation, signed into law by President Yoweri Museveni in February 2014, drastically escalated the state-sanctioned penalties for same-sex relations. It also criminalized the “promotion” of homosexuality, an intentionally vague provision that threatened human rights advocacy work and led to increased mistreatment of LGBT individuals.
The law’s passage had immediate and severe consequences, but once again, there was an international outcry that led to Uganda’s Constitutional Court nullifying it. Undeterred, the Ugandan Parliament got back to work on a new bill, passing another Anti-Homosexuality Act in 2023. This law retained many of the harsh provisions of its predecessor, including life imprisonment for same-sex relations and the death penalty for "aggravated homosexuality." The 2023 act also criminalized renting premises to LGBT individuals and created an obligation to report alleged acts of homosexuality, which further entrenched homophobic discrimination. Unlike before, it was upheld by Uganda’s courts in 2024, despite arguments that it violates people’s fundamental right to equality, privacy, and freedom of expression.
Since the passage of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, there has been a surge in violence and harassment of gay, bi, and trans people, along with widespread discrimination. Healthcare providers, afraid of being accused of “promoting” homosexuality, cut back on essential services for LGBT people, including HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment programs. Reports of arbitrary arrests, police abuse, and extortion have spiked. LGBT Ugandans have faced evictions, loss of employment, and reduced access to healthcare services. Understandably, this hostile environment has taken a psychological toll, with an influx of reports of anxiety, depression, and a pervading sense of insecurity and hopelessness. Others, amid the atmosphere of fear and intimidation created by the law, have fled the country, seeking refuge in neighboring nations, a displacement that has disrupted lives and torn families apart.
The Western world has responded to Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Laws with vocal condemnation. Human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, governments such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, and international bodies including the United Nations and the Equal Rights Coalition have called for its repeal. Yet, despite being denounced on the world stage, despite sanctions, aid cuts, and intense international pressure, the Ugandan government remains unmoved, arguing that the current law reflects the cultural and moral values of the deeply religious and predominantly Christian Ugandan people. Sadly, they aren’t wrong. In a 2023 poll from Afrobarometer, Uganda ranked dead last in LGBT tolerance among the 37 countries surveyed, with a mere 5% of respondents saying that they approve of same-sex relations.
It’s difficult to imagine the resilience and courage of Uganda’s LGBT community as they weather a storm fueled both by their government and their fellow citizens. In such a repressive regime, simply finding the strength to carry on with your head held high is an act of revolutionary defiance. Going even further by engaging in outright LGBT activism, as I do, is a big risk, one many loved ones have urged me not to take. But I cannot stay silent. I worry that, brave and incredible though Ugandan queer people are, we cannot win this fight on our own. Many people and governments around the world stand with us, but I know that we can rally far more to our cause. Just as crucial, we must not let this atrocity fade from view. By keeping a spotlight fixed on Uganda and its persecution of LGBT people, we can keep the fight alive. If the world allows itself to move on and forget, there’s no telling what might happen in the darkness — and there’s no telling how far it might spread. As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Stand with us to keep the spotlight shining bright.
Published Nov 18, 2024
