A Homosexual Scandal in Uganda.

Uh, another one. But one that strikes to the root of the problem for the gay Ugandan.

Kiwewesi.

He is a pastor of a Pentecostal church. Kansanga Miracle Center Church, one of the ‘new’, non traditional churches. He drew people around him with his charisma, built it from a reed walled structure to a huge, eye catching edifice in the Kansanga rich man’s slum.

He was unmarried for long. All the ladies would have loved to swoon at the feet of this charismatic young man, an up and coming preacher, a mover in the Pentecostal world in Uganda. But he was too busy doing the work of god.

I ‘hear’, as in the ‘grapevine’ that, there came a time and the pressure to get married was a little overwhelming. So, with his parents hot on his case, he gave them the go ahead.

‘I am a bit shy,’ confessed the famous preacher, ‘Dad, can you choose me a woman?’

Daddy was not shy at all. The opposite, in fact.

Quickly, a young woman caught Daddy’s resourceful eye. The family vetted the lady, and were happy about the results. Good family, good people, respectful, saved, etc, etc.

The lady was presented to the young man, who was immediately enamored. Who predictably, immediately fell in love. She could not but fall in love with him. Young, powerful, rich, charismatic, the founder pastor of one of the most powerful Pentecostal churches in Kampala.

The lady was introduced to the church. The church swooned with love for the lady.

Fundraising, and ultimately, the wedding of the year. Was it 2007, or 08? I remember, because, well, the wedding was held in Namboole Stadium, a 40,000 people seater, and was the wedding of the year. The budget was an eye popping 300 Million Uganda shillings. And the couple went off on a honeymoon in California. Or, at least that is what I remember.

Pastor Kiwewesi was wed at last. And one of the most eligible bachelors removed from the scene, in style. Society swooned.

Oh, I have removed many of the attending flares, like the lady pastor who sent the eminent Kiwewesi a message that god had appeared to her in a vision, and told her that Kiwewesi was not supposed to marry than lady, but the one this pastoress had seen in a vision…

Pastor Kiwewesi's house. Inset, the man himself.
They do live well, dont they. Sniff of envy!

And they lived happily thereafter?

Poor Ugandans.

Poor Kiwewesi.

Poor, misguided, blind, ignorant believers.

The man is homosexual. Or, so the media is breaking the news.

Poor Ugandans. We have become so enamoured of the idea that sex is bad, that we assume that our bible tells us all there is about sex. Sex is bad. Sex must happen in marriage. And marriage has to be arranged. Abstain till marriage myth. Poor Ugandans.

To some believers, marriage is arranged by the good pastor.

Kiwewesi could not come out and say that he is homosexual. Why do we, homosexuals, go to god? Why do we homosexuals have this hunger for god that, despite the fact that the church hurts us so much, we feel the need to gravitate towards it?

I did it myself. Lucky that I came to jump out of that pit of ignorance.

Maybe it is just the fact that we are like every other human being. Our spirituality is part of us. Our desire and need to believe is an overwhelming part of us. When we discover that we are gay, immediately we think to believe those who say they can heal us of this 'evil spirit'. No, thanks for small mercies, I was never brave enough to submit to a public exorcism.

For Kiwewesi, all the signs were there, for anyone who wanted to know, to see. Matter of fact, I had heard a rumour or two, from the grapevine. I have never slept with the dude, so, I cannot confirm, or deny. All I know is that on Thursday, the news was broken. On WBS television. On the Luganda programme. Apparently, it was taken up by the Monitor newspaper (funny, I have searched for that online, and I have failed to get it.) And, the red rug, and Bukedde, a Luganda daily has taken up the chase.

Poor Kiwewesi.

His life is destroyed. And for us, we are seeing, again, what can happen to any of us if we are ever exposed.

And poor gay Ugandans.

A former lover is accusing the guy. Apparently, the wedding made him bitter. He thought he had much to get from the guy, but the Pastor succumbed to the pressure of society.

Poor Ugandans. We are caught in the midst of our blind, ignorant attitude towards sexuality and matters of sex. We deny that they are homosexuals, fail to see them when they are, where they are, make their lives hell. And when we discover them, a scandal.

Poor Kiwewesi.




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