Belated Happy Independence, Uganda

Independence day in Uganda.

I had almost forgotten. Remembered quite late in the day

No. I shouldn’t forget. I am Ugandan. And, in spite of the efforts by majority Ugandans to alienate such as I, kuchus, gay Ugandans, I am still a Ugandan.  I am proud of being a Ugandan. An African. And, for those who throw it back at me that I cannot be African because I am gay, well, I thumb my big black nose and smack my thick black African lips…. I am gay. African. Ugandan.

Maybe I should borrow from the Kaerpenick protests in the US. Take a knee, or raise a black fist during the anthem. Precedence has been established. We, minorities, demonstrating effectively, and in your face, our perception that though we are part of the whole, we have grievances that are not acknowledged by the majority, our brothers and sisters.

So, in preparation for these, our 50 plus anniversary of independence from the colonial powers, first there was a ‘prayer breakfast’. Attended by most of the politicians, members of parliament, and the President of course.

Religion plays a huge part in the lives of my country mates. The fashion these days is Christianity, of the fundamentalist (American) Christian brand…, thus ‘prayer breakfasts’, modeled on those held in the US Congress. The Prez, canny politician that he is, bends to that prevailing wind. The First Lady is known to be a strong mover in that direction.

And, of course, the Prez saw fit to appoint a Minister of ‘Ethics and Integrity’. Basically toothless, in the political sense, but catering to a very powerful lobby, however ineffectually. He is the man mandated with keeping us Ugandan homosexuals under control, to prevent the spread of homosexuality in the country….., and of course make sure that our morals are not corrupted by sinful pornography, and of course mandates minimal length to the skirts womenin Uganda can wear!!!

First holder of the ministry was Nsaba-Buturo…, I blogged about that gentleman for quite a while. I didn’t like him at all. Well, I am gay, and am Ugandan, and since he felt it his crusade to persecute such as me in the country, I really was not okay with him.

Next in line, when Buturo somehow fell out with the president, is the current minister, Lokodo. Former catholic priest, defrocked for joining politics, but apparently still celibate (why do celibate people feel the need to decide how we have sex???!!!)

Lokodo, given his ministry, is the Minister for Laughs. The cabinet is 75 persons strong, burden on the tax payer of course…, but necessary, in the view of the appointing authority. Minister of ironies…, aformer priest, defrocked because he joined politics,  but doing his level best to push moral values and writing them into legislation. There was the so called ‘mini-skirt law’.., enacted. Ladies in Uganda can offend if there skirts are not long enough. Paradoxically, Honorable Lokodo is of the Karimojong ethnic group- bless them, a people that are known to have little use for clothes as would be defined by the blessed Minister. I am gay, and shamelessly love the transcendent beauty of the naked African male. Indeed I am attracted, body and soul, to the beautiful African male especially when on open, uninhibited display as occurs in Karamoja.

The nga’Karamojong  live in the north eastern part of the country. Traditionally cattle keepers, nomadic, in a dry, semi arid region that borders that of the Turkana in North western Kenya. Men openly and very proudly strut around in their birthday suits; tall and lean cattle keepers, an AK-47 on one shoulder, maybe a dried mud coated jacket or a threadbare blanket or shuka when they are out in the field.

  Gay African heaven! They are really beautiful. Really beautiful. Lithe muscles gliding under ebony dark skin, bold eyes, that see naught of my instinctive worship and weighing of the naked family jewels that don’t even have a loin cloth to hide behind.

The dangling bits are respectable and always work me up into a lather of lust…, especially when I notice the complete, utter lack of awareness of the effect that they have on me. 

When they squat……, sigh….! I can almost faint..!

Digression. Digression.

I am gay. I don’t notice the women so much, but, they also move around naked. It is normal. It is charming. It is who they are. And it is us ‘southerners’  with our damned shame of our bodies that want them to cover themselves.

Anyway, Minister Lokodo, well read as he is, deems that kind of unashamed glory and show of people’s brilliant, beautiful assets, male and female, to be ‘pornographic’.

Sigh…!

What am I trying to say? That morality is pretty fluid. We cant use imported 'christian' values..., okay, we can import them, and then persecute our own people because they dont conform to our distorted senses of morality. Of course, it is Lokodo, well read and 'westernised' as he is, who would find the beautiful pics of African men in all their glory to be offensive. I find them authentic. I would change naught of these people's culture...., indeed, I would love to have all this eye candy on display every day of my life....!!! (Sigh, hopefully, they would not be too offended if my loins decided to express my appreciation!!)

And of course, there is the issue of his consistent pursuit of Kuchus, gay Ugandans.

In the Independence prayer breakfast, Museveni had somepointed advice to Lukodo, here seen with hand raised in prayer.

…. Stop trying to coerce morals. Try to entice and convince, rather than use the stick and prison to force us to conform to ‘your’ morals…!

“I have heard that Fr. Simon Lokodo has declared war on immoral elements but for me I have advised him not to use harsh means on these people. I have advised him to just persuade them because then you stand a chance to actually change them”

Think he will listen to the boss?

No, I bet he wont…!

Happy Birthday, Dear Uganda.

Hope the 52^nd Independence day celebrations have been great.

gug