Media Witch-hunt

A Ugandan news paper has today 26th February 2014 released a list comprising of 200 names of top homosexuals just a few days after the president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni signed into law an anti-gay bill which bans promotion of homosexuality and lesbianism behaviour in the country, anyone found guilty will be punished according to the anti-homosexuality act seen below;

• Life imprisonment for gay sex, including oral sex
• Life imprisonment for "aggravated homosexuality", including sex with a minor or while HIV-positive
• Life imprisonment for living in a same-sex marriage
• Seven years for "attempting to commit homosexuality"
• Between five and seven years in jail or a $40,700 (£24,500) fine or both for the promotion of homosexuality
• Businesses or non-governmental organisations found guilty of the promotion of homosexuality would have their certificates of registration cancelled and directors could face seven years in jail

 This list has raised concern of witch-hunt against gay people like one David Kato, a gay activist who was attacked and killed in 2011 after his name was published in a local paper.  Majority of the people whose names appear on this list are based abroad including many Ugandans who are still “hiding in the closet”. Well known activists like Pepe Julian Onzima and Jackline Kasha who tweeted “the media witch-hunt is back” are also on the list alongside a popular hip-hop star and a catholic priest, AP reports.

President Yoweri Musevini signing the bill on 21/02/2014

Western Governments are very unhappy with the signing of this bill like the US secretary of state John Kerry who described it as a tragic day for Uganda. The western Governments are rethinking their relationship with the Uganda Government including the assistance programmes which reports show is; $400M from the US, 10,8M from Sweden, $9.6M from Netherlands and $17M from Denmark and Norway. “homosexuality is a behaviour that can be learned and can be unlearned” said David Bahati, a Ugandan member of Parliament who sponsored the Bill.