Uganda's homophobia

Before you read this post I would like to emphasize that the views and opinions I present are my personal views and opinions. They do not represent FK Norway nor UMWA and Mama FM’s views. 

On Wednesday last week David Kato - one of the most outspoken gay rights advocates in Uganda - was found murdered in his house in Mukono, Kampala. He had beaten to death with a hammer. I was seriously taken back by the news of his death. I did know that homophobia was severe in Uganda. I knew that “homosexual acts” are illegal and can be punished by 14-year prison sentences and that Parliament was (and still are actually) considering a bill to execute gay people. I also followed the stories in October, just after I had arrived in Uganda, when the magazine Rolling Stone published an article with names and pictures of prominent Ugandan alleged homosexuals including Mr.Kato - calling for them to be hanged. But I had never thought that Rolling Stones’ hate call and the general homophobia in this country would actually go as far as to kill someone. I was wrong.

One thing is the tragedy of his death; another thing is the tragedy of how Ugandan police and most Ugandans are dealing with the murder. I find it unbelievably provoking how the police are trying to chalk up the motive to robbery claiming that his death had nothing to do with Rolling Stones hate campaign. Even more frustrating and disappointing is the way most people I talk to (and this includes educated people whom I respect, some of them with degrees in human rights!!!!) will say –”it is awful that he died, but it has nothing to do with him being a gay rights activist”. Really? Kato was one of the three people who sued the Rolling Stones to force it to stop publishing the names, pictures and addresses of people it believed were gay or lesbian. Only weeks ago he won the case  - Uganda Supreme Court told the magazine to stop publishing names of prominent Ugandan alleged homosexuals and ordered the newspaper to pay Kato and the other two plaintiffs 1.5 million Ugandan shillings each. Since the ruling, David said he had been receiving a number death threats. 

It is obvious that the murder of Kato was a hate crime!It is obvious that it was in every way connected to his homosexuality! The murder of David Kato shows once and for all that the hate towards gays in Uganda is dangerous and that it must be stopped – sticking our heads in the sand claiming that this was just a ”ordinary robbery” will not do anyone any good!