Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill

As Kenyan’s stand poised to be one of the few countries in the region to consider tolerating diversity with a wider acceptance of LGBT people,

By Melanie Nathan, February 1o, 2014.

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 6.59.15 AMWhile gays and lesbians around the world are protesting the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Uganda’s Kuchus are seeing solidarity and support expressed by neighbors from Kenya’s LGBTI community.  Several dozen gays, lesbians and transgender people as well as allied supporters demonstrated in front of Uganda’s High Commission in Nairobi on Monday. Many wore rainbow colored wigs and masks.

Protests, including in the U.S.A., have been and will continue to be held around the globe, with a special protest day assigned to Tuesday, in hopes of pressuring Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni not to sign the bill, which calls for life imprisonment for some homosexual acts.

According to AP reports, Eric Gitari, executive director of Kenya’s National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission, said the Ugandan legislation has major repercussions on human rights conditions across East Africa. Gitari said that some gays and lesbians in Uganda have fled and are living in a Kenyan refugee camp.

Recently representatives of the Kenyan group GALCK noted in a message to President Museveni:

“We are Africans who stand in the belief that all Africans should embrace our complexities and enjoy the chance to participate fully in their socioeconomic and political spheres of life. We applaud his Excellency President Yoweri Museveni for having recognized that violence in the form of incarceration and/or death is not the answer as intimated in his letter to Parliament, and call upon him to be steadfast in furthering his efforts on tackling discriminative approaches such as subjective studies which pave way for” abnormality” as reasons for homosexuality as evidenced in the systematic and documented reports shared by the Uganda Civil society through the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law. Reference statement released on January 21st 2014. We also urge him to focus on the diversity he alluded to in his letter to Parliament.”

The Anti-homosexuality Bill, once dubbed “The Kill the Gays Bill,” which seeks life in prison for  so called “repeat offenders” was passed by Uganda’s parliament in December 2013. The Bill is now in the hands of the country’s president, Yoweri Museveni, who can choose to assent or ignore the Bill, which means it will become effective legislation. The President can send the Bill back to Parliament in which event it can still pass upon a two third majority vote. There is no out and out power of Veto, for this a Private member Bill, sponsored by anti-gay Evangelical Christian MP, David Bahati.

Check online and Facebook and make sure you do SOMETHING for tomorrow’s GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION for the Future of Uganda’s LGBt Community and the Future of ALL in Uganda whose health may be impacted by the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Write your own story and send it to president Museveni. Tell Uganda that being gay is not a choice but a human sexuality just like heterosexuality. Explain and participate.

Screen Shot 2014-02-10 at 7.19.05 AM

Ugandan exiles protest anti gay laws at D.C. Embassy

Asking to speak to the Ambassador…

By Cathy Kristofferson, February 4, 2014

Photo courtesy Ellen Sturtz

Photo courtesy Ellen Sturtz

Right now the Kuchu Diaspora Alliance, KDA, is holding a protest at the Ugandan Embassy in Washington, D.C. They are asking President Museveni and Uganda lawmakers to withdraw the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) passed by the Parliament December 20th of last year — in its entirety. They have asked to speak with the Ambassador. READ more http://oblogdeeoblogda.me/2014/02/04/ugandan-exiles-protest-anti-gay-laws-at-d-c-embassy/

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13 Comments on “Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill”

  1. MatthewKleid February 10, 2014 at 8:42 AM #

    We are used to needing democracy to stop tyrants. Now we need a tyrant to stop tyranny.

    • Melanie Nathan February 10, 2014 at 10:47 AM #

      Well enjoy the tyrants if that is what you want – it will come back on you.

  2. Pauline February 10, 2014 at 9:07 AM #

    If they are right let them remove masks

    • Melanie Nathan February 10, 2014 at 10:46 AM #

      You are THAT Stupid – really? Take masks off and get killed by their own anti-gay people? They ARE right!! And God knows it. What is NOT right is the fact that Colonialists brought the teachings of a peace loving Jesus Christ to Africa used had people like you use the Bible to persecute your own people…. Ugandans and other Africans are ONLY persecuting gays because of erroneous Bible teachings. THAT is wrong. My Bible and my God teaches us that we are all made in God’s image and that God is the only judge of morality. And that rape and adultery is wrong – and that loving relationships between two people is all about love and hurts no one.

  3. Ron Bockman (@ronbockman) February 10, 2014 at 2:52 PM #

    Why are they protesting in Kenya, they should go to Uganda to protest

    • Melanie Nathan February 10, 2014 at 3:15 PM #

      Really? You are really asking that question? How do you expect Kenyans to go to Uganda to protest and not get arrested? All people around the globe are protesting against UGANDA at Ugandan Embassies around the world. When people protest countries they are bot stupid enough to go to those countries to protest the laws of a foreign country that would be rather stupid. You always protest a foreign country on your own soil outside that countries embassy. Are you suggesting that if I want to protest Russian anti-gay law that I go to Russia? Airfare? Hotels? Money? Arrested? A lawyer in a foreign country? Of course not – what i would do sensibly is protest Russia in my own country outside their embassy!!!!!! Hope you understand …. seriously?

  4. NORM R. ALLEN JR. February 12, 2014 at 7:13 AM #

    It is sad that the Bible clearly condones homophobia ( e.g.,Lev. 18:22), including death for homosexuals. Then again, what would one expect from a book written by patriarchs? Patriarchy and homophobia go together like mustard and hot dogs. Scott Lively and his ilk will continue to draw upon the “Word of God” for their homophobic views. There must be more freethinking freedom fighters to come forward and combat this religious madness.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

  1. Marriage Equality Round-Up 2/10/14 - February 10, 2014

    […] Kenya: Gay activists protested the anti-gay bill in neighboring Uganda. full story […]

  2. Kenya News – 10 Feb 2014 | Africa - February 10, 2014

    […] 15:20 UTC Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill […]

  3. Museveni will rely on quackary to sign Anti-Gay Bill | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da - February 14, 2014

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  4. CNN World Reports Ugandan President Ready To Sign Bill and Ready for War With World’s Gays | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da - February 15, 2014

    […] Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill […]

  5. White House Releases President Obama Statement on Uganda Anti-Gay Bill | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da - February 16, 2014

    […] Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill […]

  6. Ugandan President Museveni Signs Kill the Gays Bill | O-blog-dee-o-blog-da - February 24, 2014

    […] Gays in Kenya Protest Against Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill […]

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