Masaka Case

The facts. A 22 year old man had a group of students from whom he used to buy sex. He would pay them, and they would fork out services.

Sounds familiar?

Would, but for the fact that he was buying from guys. Boys, young men.

So, one breaks the silence, and outs the man. And the other boys. He writes a letter, of sorts. Gets to the parents, who storm the 22 year olds house, trying to lynch him. Police intervention, and he is arrested.

He doesn’t deny the allegation. (Poor man) He is taped on television, complaining that in fact the boys used to take his money and run, not deliver the requested services. A sort of confession.

His world has come apart.

And by the way, he is a poor man, because with the gay hysteria that has gripped the country, he is very liable to be sentenced to death. The charge on the statute books is ‘aggravated defilement’, and the punishment is death. Capital punishment. If he is lucky, life imprisonment, though I am not sure whether that option is given in the law.

Defilement is a common problem. Only when it occurs in respect to a boy is death the punishment on the law books. I think that is what happened in Mukono. A 17 year old was sentenced to life imprisonment, I believe it was in April of this year.

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The unadorned facts stand out, clear. Maybe, and maybe not. They send a chill down my spine.
We are under siege. It is very easy to brush it aside, to go on and live as we have lived down the years. Was difficult before. The chances of being outed, or victimized, of being lynched are much higher. The tar brush has been thorough. We are Black. Tar Black.

The stories that I come across tend to be the ones which grab my attention. For example, the Masaka case is on the news on NTV, a local channel. Today’s evening news. And if I hadn’t had the chance to be at the tv at that particular moment, I wouldn’t have known anything about it. Too many stories, these days, about the evil of homosexuality, people arrested, accused, etc, etc. Only what catches my fancy makes it here. Or what makes it into the media, of course.

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So, why do I blog such things?

Someone once abused me, that instead of writing about ‘developmental’ issues, I always write these disgusting stories. Different point of view, maybe. To me my sexuality is something to be celebrated. To most of my country mates, it is something to be hidden. A shame, not to be publicly aired.

I write because I think I am a human being, and no one will take that away from me.
Soon, if Nsaba-Buturo has his way, writing this blog from Uganda will be illegal. But of course I will continue writing. Because the mere stroke of a pen will not take away my life. Will take the hangman’s noose, or something as physical, don’t you think? And we Ugandans are very adept at ignoring extraneous laws. Comes with the territory.

Forget the misery above. Concentrate on some of the most important things which such news kind of masks.

I am alive. I am well. I eat and drink as necessary. At least for now. Some of my country mates to the east are dying of hunger. Fact.

And I am in love.

Funny thing is, love, being in love is maybe one of the strongest motivators. I am in love, and puny as that is, I will not have anyone think me less worth of my beloved’s attention. I will love and hide, as I must, but I will not hide from myself that I love. Life is too short, too sweet.

Yes, I am in love, and isn’t it beautiful!


gug