Uganda: 3 months on gay Couple miss-out

John Jemba

Away from public executions which had turned out to be a characteristic of Idi Amin's tyranny regime, where Ugandans used to disappear and never to be seen or heard from again.

Since the brutal murder of David Kato, a Ugandan gay rights activist, life is increasingly getting harder for the gay community in Uganda. Now a gay couple John Jemba, 32, and his partner Peter Nsubuga, 33, little is known about their whereabouts. Jemba a resident of Namungoona, Kasubi went missing two days after Christmas of 2010, after being arrested on alleged charges of unlawful gathering. “I have tried to locate him but nothing positive,” a friend who instigated a secret search for fear of being persecuted told this newspaper, adding that: “We fear taking the matter to the police, it will generate more questions and the police was involved during their arrest.”

According to a source requested not to be named so that he can talk freely, they have searched for Jemba and his partner Nsubuga for more than three months but in vain. “But there are agreed views here, and suspicious fingers point at his step-brother, Mukasa because he visited Jemba at CPS [Central Police Station], he was the last person to open the shop before heading to the police,” Jemba's friend made the allegation, in reference to Godfrey Mukasa [Jemba's step-brother] who open the shop number L096, in the new Taxi Park, a couple of days after the disappearance of a gay couple Jemba and Nsubuga.

It has now proved difficult to independently substantiate all the allegations because people now fear for their lives and careful not to get caught –up or misunderstood for gay. Everybody remain tight lipped whenever a question related to homosexuality crop-up. When traced Mukasa, a step-brother allegedly to have been the last person to see Jemba, he initially feigned ignorant of anything. “I don't know anything regarding Jemba. His partner is the best person but not me,” Mukasa said, adding that: “if Nsubuga is still alive.”

When asked why he was referring this reporter to Nsubuga, Mukasa replied:

“Aren't they been openly known to be lovers?” Nobody is wishing to talk about issues related to homosexuals, since the brutal murder of David Kato, who was bludgeoned to death with a hammer on January 26, 2011.

Although being a gay has been a crime punishable by life sentence, MP David Bahati's sponsored Anti-gay Bill which includes a clause calling for a death penalty for people repeatedly engage in gay sex increased fears among the gays. It has also other provision that call for a seven years jail sentence to a relative who fail to report the existence of this vice within the family. It also bans the “Promotion of homosexuality,” which would in actual fact prohibit political organisations, broadcasters and publishers that campaign on behalf of gay rights.

A police spokesman, Judith Nabakooba, responding to question put to her whether the ongoing persecution of these people doesn't amount to discrimination, she says: “There is no way police can help those people because they don't come to us and report cases of persecution to us. We just hear about it from newspapers.”

She [Nabakooba] further said that: “Those people don't come to report such case to police. A part from Kato's case, we don't have such reports. That is where police find it difficult to help. We don't just act on rumours.

Let them come and report to police.”

Whilst the police spokesperson, Ms Nabakooba asserts that these people [Uganda's LGBT Community] don't report such cases to the police to be provided with security, their fear to come open is understandable because the country's president supports disapprove the gay community. So, the

January 26, 2011, murder of David Kato, a gay rights activist in Uganda who was bludgeoned with a hammer, can be laid directly on the doorsteps of the country's President Museveni who for years has been publicly vilifying homosexuals.

On August 17, 2008, under the headline “Museveni backs church against gays,” The New Vision reported that during the consecration of a Rev. Canon Patrick Gidudu, as the seventh Bishop of Mbale Diocese, speaking against homosexuality, Gen. Museveni, said: “I salute the Archbishop and bishops of Africa for resisting disorientation and a decadent culture...” being passed by Western nations.

“Don't fear, resist and do not compromise on that. It is a danger not only to the believers but to the whole of Africa. It is bad if our children become complacent and think that people who are not in order are alright,” the President was quoted as saying. (See: http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/644954).

Although, other protests in the country are prohibited, protesters who support the anti-homosexuality bill, have been previously give an Olive branch by the state to carry placards in all town and city streets, with written messages such; “Think about our children”, “Together we kick homosexuality out of Uganda”, and “Homosexuals beware of God's wrath.”

The piece of legislation which was shelved last year after an international condemnation, it has been prioritized for discussion in the country's parliament in May 2011. Even with the current atmosphere after the brutal murder of Uganda gay rights activist David Kato. “I do not regret having introduced the bill,” said Bahati the architecture of the controversial legislation, adding that: “I have been very much discouraged in all ways.”

In response as to whether he didn't feel guilty for having introduced a legislation that incited the population against the minority gay community in the country, MP Bahati said: “I don't think and I shouldn't be blamed for the murder of Kato.”

Homosexuality has been considered illegal in Uganda and the country's President, Yoweri Museveni, previously plainly described it 'negative culture'. President Museveni, is a very strong supporter of 'Preserving African culture' and the legislation which was stayed last year, after the worldwide condemnation and western countries' threats to cut aide given to Uganda.

The bill was only stayed after it was strongly condemned by former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown; the Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper; the U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and US President Barack Obama. Mr Obama had also described it as “Odious.”

Following the murder of gay activist, David Kato, the message sent out during the burial by an Anglican clergy, Thomas Musoke, the Uganda government's stance towards the earlier shelved Anti-gay Bill, plus an antigay article appeared in a Uganda tabloid the Rolling Stone (not related to the US Magazine), calling on to “Hang Them”, the lives of gay community in Uganda at risk.

Separately, Yusuf Lugoloobi, a landlord of Namungoona-Kasubi, was also timid to talk. “Jemba's matter is beyond my jurisdiction,” Lugoloobi responded, adding that: “it sickens me; police has been questioning me; now the media. What do you want from me; leave me alone for another day.”