David Bahati, Influential Ugandan.

The Ten Most Influential Persons in Uganda in 2010 are....

I got this link over at the Throckmorton blog. For me, David Bahati ranked much higher than what is given. But, I am not the whole of Uganda....!

What struck me most is the analysis. Yes, it is true that most Ugandans in Uganda would disagree. Both with the ranking, (saying, surely the guy was not that important!), and with the analysis. Most Ugandans are homophobic. In a blind, ignorant way. Bahati was stating pure truth, according to most. So they are surprised that the world disgrees... and, are sometimes quick to play up the 'sovereign' card. Uganda should be allowed to kill off her homosexuals.

For me, the analysis is spot on. Though, again I believe that poor Bahati was a very willing pawn. An unheard of MP for a constituency that is one of the poorest in Uganda, forced himself to the attention of Ugandans, and the world at large. And, the deserts he reaps here are as deserved as his bigotry is unquestioned.

#7 MP David Bahati

Late in 2009, a Member of Parliament, David Bahati presented the Anti- Homosexual Bill as a Private Members bill which would classify "aggravated homosexuality" as a capital offence.

The bill would punish people guilty of having gay sex with a minor, a disabled person or infects another person with HIV through homosexual intercourse with the death penalty. Other offences include promoting homosexuality, aiding and abetting homosexuality and keeping a house "for purposes of homosexuality". Bahati claims his bill would protect children, youths and the "traditional family".

While the controversy surrounding the bill began in 2009, it was not until 2010 that the bill and its author made worldwide headlines. In January, Ugandan priest Martin Ssempa gave his now infamous "Eat da Poo Poo" speech, a tasteless tirade against the gay lifestyle where he showed pornographic images to the press and people present.

The video has now been viewed over 3.6 million times on YouTube. And a musical remix of the video has been viewed almost one million times.

Then in October, Rolling Stone newspaper published "100 Pictures of Uganda's Top Homos Leak" on its front page. The paper was later forced to halt publication of such articles by a court.

All of these actions were spawned by the actions of one man, David Bahati. Homosexuality is already illegal in Uganda. But by introducing his bill and suggesting "death" as an appropriate action against homosexuality, Bahati has spurned a misguided hatred in the Ugandan population based on lies and ignorance on the subject and endangered the lives and safety of Uganda's gay community. His influence is unquestioned but so is his bigotry.

Come to think of it, Museveni would disagree with the ranking. It is not often that he receives a phone call from the US Secretary of State about a bill that is in the parliament of the Republic of Uganda. LOL, the Pres would rank Honourable Bahati much higher than he is ranked here!

And, as an afternote, the director of Public Prosecutions seems to believe that Ssempa and the other pastors do have a case to answer... in the matter of trying to outshout each other as to Pastor Robert Kayanja being gay..... or homosexual, or 'sodomising children'... or whatever the accusations were in the middle of this year. The Pastor Wars, I called them. Here is the Monitor article. That saga seems to be ongoing. We watch from the sidelines....

gug