Monitor on Jinja

The demonstrations happened in Jinja. And, for some reason, they didnt make it in the New Vision (they no longer report any news....!)

And, Monitor took its time reporting on the demos. Why? I dont know. But, I am picking their report to pieces here.

The Timeline.

• Sunday 14 Feb, the Inspector General of Police tells Ssempa that there will be no Million Man March on Kampala. Asks him to meet him Tuesday for a discussion.
• Monday 15 Feb, March in Jinja happened. Drew hundreds, lasted 2-3 hours. Even if it was 'impromptu' Here are some of the reports.

All images are from the Monitor

• The Monitor e-paper also reports that the Police blocked a similar demonstration on Tuesday in Kampala. That is what I was hearing from the fm stations yesterday. So, it does look more and more likely that Ssempa is going rogue. And, by the way, he has been announcing civil action, prayer and fasting through Lent. And, the an Easter Present of the bill as Law.
  Hmmmmm! Definitely rogue. Will be interesting to watch.

The reports from Jinja-

Hundreds of Jinja residents took to the streets on Monday in support of the anti-homosexuality Bill. Chanting messages peppered with anti-gay slurs and displaying placards denouncing the practice, the demonstrators made their way around the town led by religious leaders in a procession that brought business to a temporary stand still.

Western leaders rebuked

The demonstrators also criticised Western leaders’ disapproval of the Bill. “Obama leave Ugandans alone,” “Obama to hell with your aid,” were some of the messages written on the placards.

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 “Of what importance is homosexuality to us? It is as if we have no brains. Let them keep their homosexuality and keep their money as well!” a woman among the shouting crowd yelled. 

Speaking following the procession that lasted about two hours, Pastor Martin Ssempa, one of the prominent supporters of the Bill, said it was a shame that the US president had taken to supporting the un-African custom and expected Uganda to follow suit. “Obama even if you do not give us money for medicine for our people, to hell with that money, we would rather die but die in dignity,” he said. 

He added: “This is Uganda and we also have our rights just like the Americans have theirs. We decide for ourselves what is good for us. So these leaders should leave us alone to make our own legislations that are good for us.” The clerics, who preached against the practice at a crusade held at the Kazi Mingi grounds in the town, also claimed the media had failed in its duty to fight the practice.

Pastor Matthias Sserugo said: “The anti-gay federation is not here to express their hatred for homosexuals but to tell them that they can change and society can accept them once more.” President Museveni recently expressed opposition to some sections of the proposed Bill noting that they would harm Uganda’s foreign policy.

Indeed. Straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel.

Hmmmm!

Seems like there is lots of interesting stuff going on.

Be well.


gug