Ugandan LGBTI activists are holding a day of remembrance and services for brother David Kato , the outspoken LGBTI activist who was brutally murdered last year.
Kato known to be the most vocal gay rights advocate in Uganda, a country where homophobia is so severe that Parliament is considering a bill to execute gay people. Mr. Kato had received a stream of death threats, his friends said last year.
In 2010, Rolling Stone Tabloid, a Ugandan newspaper ran an antigay diatribe with Mr. Kato’s picture on the front page under a banner urging, “Hang Them.” Kato took the tabloid to court and won his case , with the court ordering an injunction and fines against Rolling Stone publication.
Months later, Mr. Kato was beaten to death with a hammer and the perpetrator has been convicted. Although the confessed murderer has been sentenced, many speculate that Kato was set up by authorities. Police officials were quick to chalk up the motive to robbery, but members of the small and increasingly besieged gay community in Uganda suspect otherwise.
“David’s death is a result of the hatred planted in Uganda by U.S. evangelicals in 2009,” Val Kalende, the chairwoman of one of Uganda’s gay rights groups, said in a statement at the time. “The Ugandan government and the so-called U.S. evangelicals must take responsibility for David’s blood.”
Today, January 26 Mleuben Maccarthy from the newly established St. Paul’s Voice Center in Uganda who is attending today’s event told me, “we cant wait for our rights which KATO was fighting for.”
Today’s memorial is open and will be held at Emerald Hotel Bomb road – Kampala Uganda. Thursday 26. 01.2012 from 0900 AM.
Comrade David Kato R.I.P.
See Video of memorial held in Castro one year ago featuring Melanie Nathan and Michael Petrelis
![speaker mel nathan](http://oblogdeeoblogda.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/africanhrc.png?w=300"%20alt="africanhrc"%20width="300"%20height="300"%20/></a>)
PoochParkWear customizes hoodies and t-shirts, the good, the naughty, the in between, whether proud or quirky let them be seen. We also offer biker jackets, croc or pleather collars, a variety of collar charms, and our special Zinja beaded collars made by a co-op of HIV-positive South African women, the Sisonke women who weave the beads onto the collars.
Brave people fighting bigotry in uganda and daily threats of death,
I’m proud to be a lesbian and married to my partner here in Germany.