By Melanie Nathan, November 25, 2012.
The west is becoming more and more aware of stories about corruption amongst Ugandan politicians. There are people in Uganda’s Parliament who are stealing from their own people. They steal at a time when many Ugandans are poor and are struggling to survive. I have reported stories on these pages of women who are forced into prostitution to feed their families, while members of parliament such as Yokasi Bihande Bwambale, line their pockets with money that belongs to the Ugandans who trusted and voted them into office to be their representatives.
The worst form of betrayal is that by an official trusted to an office that demands respect. An abuse of office by one is an abuse by all who remain silent. Entrusted through their votes, by the people of Uganda, people such as Yokasi Bihande Bwambale have no regard for that trust and so to deflect from the attention that Ugandans should be giving to the criminal behavior of people like Bihande Bwambale, parliamentarians have latched on to the homosexual issue. If Bihande screams out against homosexuality, he is sure that the popular anti-gay climate will yield him the votes he needs and Ugandans will care less about the fact that their politician is an out an out thief.
This is what Yokasi Bihande Bwambale wrote to a dear friend of mine in response to his e-mail plea which is copied below** :
“The anti homosexuality bill is not intended to kill people like you. What we want is to protect our children from perverts like you to infect our children with bad habits and for them to produce grand kids. In our country its criminal to have sexual intercourse with children under 18 years. This law does not include homos. Its also criminal to intentionaly infect your partner wit hiv aids. Our laws were not covering homos. So we are recognising homosexuality and lesbianism as a form of sexual intercourse. Ofcourse defilment and rape are capital offences which atract deat sentense wheather your homo or not. we are also a religius countrey which does not agree with homosexuality. So please respect us as sovereign and therefore free to enact laws that we fellare just for our own good. Bihande B.Y [MP] I support and will pass the Bill for posterity. “
In April this year Edward Anyoliwrote this about Bihande on the New Vision Report:-
Bukonzo East Member of Parliament, Yokasi Bihande Bwambale has admitted stealing sh20m meant for his constituency.
Bwambale on Tuesday pleaded guilty to the charges of embezzlement and uttering false accountability to the chief accountant of Parliament.
Justice Catherine Bamugemereire asked him whether the facts stated in the charge sheets were true and correct. “It is true I stole,” the legislator admitted.
Bamugemereire subsequently sentenced Bihande to a fine of sh6m or serve three years imprisonment in default. He was also given a suspended sentence of two years, which means that if he commits any other offence within two years he would be sentenced to two years in jail.
After the court ruling, Bihande expressed happiness, saying it was fair and as a Christian he admits the mistakes and takes responsibility for the mess.
The court also ordered Bihande to refund the sh20m he stole from the constituency that was advanced to him.
The case was brought against Bihande by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG). Sarah Birungi, the head of prosecution from the IGG said during the financial year 2008 and 2009 Bihande received sh10m on behalf of the people of Bukonzo East in Kasese district, but failed to account for the money.
He instead filed a false accountability with the chief accountant of Parliament claiming he had spent the money as required.
In the subsequent year 2009 and 2010 Bihande embezzled another sh10m and uttered a fake accountability to the clerk to Parliament.
Members of Parliament used to receive sh10m as development funds for their constituencies and they were to account for it. The scheme was later stopped.
Bihande apologized to the people of Bukonzo and blamed the loss on his personal assistant Robert Baluku who he said duped him by giving fake accountability.
This is one of the MPs who will vote next week to imprison gays and lesbians for a lifetime because of their sexuality!
I REST MY CASE!
Letter that received the above response from Yokasi Bihande Bwambale
Dear Hon MP, Yokasi Bihande Bwambale
Hello, my name is Lloyd Copper and I am writing to you with sadness and concern about the Hon Speaker Rebecca Kadaga’s recent announcement that the Anti Homosexuality Bill would be passed by Christmas. I am aware that this is a sensitive issue and I have been told that Africans do not like Westerners “meddling” in their affairs, but please let me say that I do not speak for my government; I am simply a concerned individual who fears for the safety of the LGBT people in your country should this bill be passed. I believe there is a lot of misinformation about homosexuality in Uganda so perhaps I can tell you my personal story.
I am 28, and realised I was a homosexual when I was 13. I dared not to “come out” because especially as a male, I observed a hostile attitude towards homosexuality, but people
bullied me because they thought I was and eventually the bullying led me to a psychiatric ward as a 14 year old boy, wanting to leave the world because of the pain I was going through. When I was 17, I knew I was gay and cautiously began telling a few people. At 18 my mother asked me. I was scared of her and the familys reaction but after she cried, hugged me, and eventually she and my family got used to it. Today it is not an issue for them, nor is it for the majority of Australia as we seem to be evolving on this matter and concentrating on more important things such as poverty, housing, etc. However, having said that, there are still homophobic attitudes and I have received hurtful abuse many times over the last ten years; I thank God I live in a safe country.
I have been very interested in how the rest of the world treats gay people in their own countries. It is so extreme: one country can have equal marriage, protect their citizens from discrimination, and see it as a part of life and another can torture it’s own people, and create an environment of fear and stone them to death or other horrible methods. Because of this, I have been quietly plugging away asking governments and organisations (including my own) to reconsider when they enact homophobic legislation. I do it respectfully and with the hope they will see that punishing someone for something that cannot be changed (similar to how Black people used to be punished simply for their colour) is the wrong thing to do.
I plead with you to use human compassion and bin this bill, and leave LGBT people to live in peace.
I would love to hear your reply.
Respectfully,
Lloyd Copper,
Australia
More Articles:
Uganda Kill the Gays Bill succeeds as ploy distracting from corruption and straight pedophilia
WHAT CAN YOU DO:
Note to readers from Melanie:- If you send me your story – I will pass it on to Yokasi Bihande Bwambale as I have his e-mail. I am asking for people to write to tell him who you are – the good things about yourself and your family, your faith, your acceptance etc., I am asking you write via me, so I can ensure we do not send incendiary emails that make us look bad as a community and I know people are often reactive via the anger that his statement against us engenders. I would like to choose about 4 LGBTI stories to send to him. I don’t think it will help change who he is or his mind about us – however planting seeds can be of value! Let us educate Ugandans about who gay people REALLY are!! Thanks for your support, my friends. [email protected]
by Melanie Nathan
[email protected]
Tweet: @melanienathan1
Facebook: Melanie Nathan Advocacy
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