Year: 2009

Ugandan news source reports on Anti-Homosexuality Bill opposition

The UG Pulse reported this morning on the Facebook group “Speak Out Against Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009.”

Uganda Health News: Activists use facebook to fight Uganda Homosexual bill

Ultimate Media

As the debate over the proposed Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009 gains momentum, activists against the bill have launched a facebook group to decampaign the proposed legislation.

The facebook group which was formed by Dr. Warren Throckmorton, an Associate Professor of Psychology at Grove City College had by Saturday Morning reached a membership of 1,130.

Throckmorton says multi-faith, multi-national group of people include mainly evangelical Christians around the world.

Dr. Throckmorton says although many members of the group do not approve of homosexuality, they believe Christianity teaches freedom of conscience and freedom of speech.

Throckmorton says they believe obedience to the gospel which pleases Christ comes from free choice and not from coercion of the state through laws such as the one proposed against homosexuality.

But the Minister of Ethics and Integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo insists that the government has a duty to introduce and enforce laws against acts of homosexuality or same sex relationships which he says are immoral and against the order of nature.

Click through here to join the group.

Ugandan government vows to fight homosexuality

UPDATE: US Embassy weighs in…

Defiant amidst controversy, Ethics and Integrity Minister Buturo spoke out about issues facing the Ugandan government and referenced the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009. 

Government vows to fight homosexuality

By Carolyne Muyama

The Government of Uganda has warned sections of the media engaged in promoting immorality to stop or face penalty. The Bukedde Newspaper one of the local dailies has been singled out for its persistent promotion of pornographic material.

Addressing the press this morning the minister for Ethics and Integrity Hon. Nsaba Buturo said, “Bukedde is a persistent promoter of these vices and if they don’t change the editor will get arrested. As for the radio stations promoting witchcraft we are giving them last warning, we shall close.” Uganda is facing a new trend of crimes like human sacrifice, defilement, pornography and homosexuality.

However, government has sworn to fight these crimes that are mainly attributed to forces of globalization. “Some Ugandans are selfish and they can do anything to get money so they are simply driven by the urge to make money. On certain issues we are not going to sell our souls.

The issue of homosexuality, let them forget,” said Nsaba Buturo. A new law to comprehensively address pornography which is responsible for some of the immorality in the country is before cabinet and very soon it will be put before parliament for debate.

Meanwhile the government has appealed to the media, entertainment industry and the general public to guard against promoting immorality

Ugandan Parliament begins public debate on Anti-Homosexuality Bill

According to this report, religious leaders in Uganda want the death penalty removed from the Anti-Homosexuality Bill but life in prison is still ok with them.

Homosexuals should not be killed but instead imprisoned for life, religious leaders have suggested.

Making their input in the Anti-homosexuality Bill 2009 yesterday, the clergy said the clause on death as a penalty for homosexuality be scrapped.

“If you kill the people, to whom will the message go? We need to have imprisonment for life if the person is still alive,” said Rev. Canon Aaron Mwesigye, the provincial secretary of the Church of Uganda.

The group, which also comprised Dr Joseph Kakembo of the Seventh Day Adventist church, Dr Joseph Sserwadda, the head of Pentecostal churches, Prof. Peter Matovu, the Orthodox vicar general of the Orthodox and Sheikh Ali Mohammed, representing the mufti, however, made it clear that they support the Bill, because “homosexuality is an evil and is anti-godly”.

The Bill tabled before Parliament on October 15, by Mr David Bahati [Ndorwa East], and Mr Obua Benson [Moroto], seeks to prohibit any form of sexual relations between same sex people.

Parliament yesterday begun public debates on the Bill, conducted by the committee on presidential affairs.

While it may not alter the outcome, I hope leaders in these religious groups from around the world will weigh in on the situation.

Other religious leaders in Uganda have also spoken against the death penalty. However, jail time is still ok with them as well.

A proposed law that seeks to penalize homosexuality activities in Uganda may have to go back to the drawing board following rejections of some of its sections by religious leaders, especially Catholics, protestants and born again Christians.

The leaders, who met MPs on the Presidential Affairs committee today morning in Kampala notes that some of the clauses in the bill that call for the death penalty are unfair and against the laws of Christianity.

According to the bill, anyone found guilty of aggravated homosexuality against a person below 18 years or infecting them with HIV/AIDS faces death as a penalty.

The Provincial Secretary in the Church of Uganda, Rev. Aaron Mwesigye says that much as homosexuality is an inhumane act against people, Parliament has to follow the natural law of justice.

Rev. Mwesigye says President Museveni’s refusal to assent to the death sentence for prisoners is proof that the penalty is not needed in Uganda.

Join this Facebook group to speak out in opposition to this bill.

Martin Ssempa expresses “total support” for Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2009

As noted here on a couple of occasions, I wrote Dr. Martin Ssempa for an on-the-record statement of his views of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009. This bill introduced by David Bahati in the Ugandan legislature over a week ago would impose the death penalty on several offenses, including sex with someone under 18, someone with AIDS and for “serial offenders” of any sort. Also, life in jail would be the fate of those who engage in homosexual behavior. Touching someone of the same sex with a sexual motive is referenced as an offense. Failing to disclose the homosexuality of someone can also lead to a fine or jail time.

I asked Martin Ssempa his view of this bill since he claims to be “a passionate voice in the global fight against HIV/AIDS” and is endorsed by Colorado based Wait Training and has been involved in the work of Saddleback Church in their AIDS efforts.

Regarding the bill, Ssempa said:

I am in total support of the bill and would be most grateful if it did pass.

His full response is here:

The bill is written to meet specific challenges and make equal protection provisions. It is drafted with the benefit of historical precedence and it seeks to keep the truth about family and marriage. 

I am in total support of the bill and would be most grateful if it did pass.

The issue of aggravated homosexuality is a step by the law to provide equal protection between the boy child and the girl child. Current law provides stringent protection of the girl child from rape or child abuse which included up to the death penalty. Currently up to 70 per cent of the inmates in jail are in for the case of defilement of girls. The law was discriminatory in that the rape/sexual violence of a boy was not accorded the same legal protection as that of the girl.

This law simply provides for equal protection of the girl and the boy child.

On the promotion, we already have similar laws on drug and pornographic and obscene materials. We realize that there is a cottage industry of many groups whose sole purpose is to export from US and Europe the vice of sodomy.  Being a poor country we want to restrict them from breaking our faith and cultural beliefs with money and misinformation. Already there is a large propaganda machinery lying about this bill and misleading some in the public. I believe you also may have been misinformed about what this bill is working towards.

Please read it for yourself, as I am planning to attach it to you.

We are also making provision to nullify any international protocols where one of our leaders may be bribed or intimidated to sign a document binding us to sodomy. We want to make sure that no such decision is made binding us to this.

Finally we take seriously the role of the church in preserving truth in our society. Being a pastor of a college church, Makerere Community Church, we realize that there is a lot of darkness descending on the earth. This reminds us of the dark ages. Today we have modern barbarians who are mainstreaming evil acts. This bill seeks to put Africa and Uganda to be custodians of values and family knowledge as handed down from our fathers and our faith.

Discuss and join the group which is speaking out with another perspective…

Crosswalk.com has a revised article up with this new information.

The future is now: Ugandan pastors investigated over homosexuality accusations

Under the proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009, it would be a crime to know about a homosexual and not report it to authorities.

Here is the relevant section of the bill:

14. Failure to disclose the offence.

A person in authority, who being aware of the commission of any offence under this Act, omits to report the offence to the relevant authorities within twenty-four hours of having first had that knowledge, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty currency points or imprisonment not exceeding three years.

A person in authority is defined very broadly in the bill:

“authority” means having power and control over other people because of your knowledge and official position; and shall include a person who exercises religious. political, economic or social authority;

It most certainly would include a pastor, missionary, teacher, a parent or even a friend, if the friend was in a position of authority. This sounds like the definition of a mandated reporter of child abuse in the US.

One can imagine the witch hunts that would occur under this bill. Family members would be under pressure to report their loved ones. Missionaries would face expulsion from the country. AIDS workers would be in conflict between ethics and the law. The work of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) would be significantly hindered by this requirement.

One such scenario is being played out in Uganda now. Bringing irony to the situation is the involvement of Martin Ssempa, a major supporter of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009. AllAfrica reports:

Uganda: Police Quiz Pastors Kyaze and Kayira

Steven Candia, 26 October 2009

Kampala — Two pastors at the centre of homosexual allegations against their colleague, Robert Kayira, were yesterday interrogated by the Police on charges of criminal trespass.

Pastor Michael Kyazze and his assistant Robert Kayira of Omega Healing Centre were interrogated at the Kampala Central Police Station.

They were, however, released on Police bond at about 3:00pm and asked to report back today at 11:00am.

Whereas both of them were charged with conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, Kayira was also charged with criminal trespass.

Deputy Kampala Police spokesperson Henry Kalulu was reluctant to talk about the matter.

“What I know is that interrogations are going on,” he said at the weekly press briefing.

The pastors said the sudden turn of events was a travesty of justice.

Kyaze laughed off the charge of criminal trespass, saying it could not stand in relation to a church, which is a public place.

“A church is open to all at all times. I find it funny that someone can be charged with that offence,” Kyazze said.

The pastors were accompanied by Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church and Solomon Male of Arise for Christ.

“I am wondering which is the greater offence, is it the allegation of homosexuality or criminal trespass. What became of the allegations of homosexuality against Kayanja?” Kyazze wondered.

Police sources said Kayira was arrested in April at Kayanja’s Rubaga Cathedral with a laptop, allegedly on a mission to pick incriminating evidence that would pin pastor Kayanja on the homosexual allegations.

Kyazze rubbished the allegations, saying his assistant was not found on the premises of the cathedral.

Ssempa wondered what more proof the Police wanted on the homosexual allegations before they act.

“Did they want the boys the pastor is alleged to have sodomised to first get pregnant before they can believe?” he wondered.

He called for an independent inquiry by Parliament, saying the Police lacked the impartiality to investigate the matter.

Kayira and Kyazze have been at the forefront of the homosexual allegations against Kayanja.

Recently, the Director of Public Prosecution dismissed the allegations against Kayanja and instead directed the Police to investigate the pastors.

It appears that these pastors believe Rev. Kayanja is in need of some jail time. Now clearly if Kayanja has abused children, then he should be brought to justice. However, the young man who initially alleged the abuse has now recanted. And yet, the pastors, Ssempa included, press ahead with the allegations. It is easy to see how “persons in authority” could manufacture charges regarding enemies. In the case above, Ssempa and company are doubting the ability of the police to investigate these cases. What will change if this bill passes?

In this current case, the shoe is on the other foot. I wonder how it fits.

More on the situation is here (the accuser arrested) and here (an interview with Ssempa).