Our Priorities as Ugandans

 

We, Ugandans, sincerely believe an Anti- Homosexuality bill will fix all our ills. That’s why our religious leaders were begging the President to sign the bill into law. [oh, of course he will do it. Little doubt of it] A light take on the issue here…!

We are concerned, a lot, with sexual sin. Our leaders can steal the country dry of money and any casual fastenings like mabaati, but sexual sin is so very bad. But believers concerned with sexual sin are bewildered at the singling out of homosexuality…! The listing of sexual chicanery [sin] here can only be ‘Made in Uganda’!

“We became deviants sexually through the sin of; fornication, adultery, incest, bestiality, necromancy, watching pornography, mastubation, wet dreams and more. Infact, even polygamy and polyandry, which were not in the original purpose of God, are so widely practised in Uganda today.”

~~~

“If only our parliament would show enough zeal in tackling the evils in our society which are equally destructive such as; official corruption in government, nepotism, torture of civillians, brutality of security forces civilians, repression of various forms and more and then legislate tough penalties for offenders, Uganda would truly be a better country.”

The laundry list of sexual evils to tackle is ‘tongue in cheek’, seems better to start with the easier one, homosexuality the clear and present danger!

This is something that is odd enough for me to wonder about. And blog about. Just a stream of thought nag. Our priorities as a country.

They seem so weird and odd.
I know Uganda has quite a number of proffesionals. Inside and outside the country. We are quite prideful, in the sense that to be ‘Ugandan’ is supposedly a sign of.., something?! Proud of our ‘education’. [Yes I know, that is a very hollow and shallow political emptiness. But pride is pride.]

Why are Ugandans so off the charts homophobic?

Why are we so interested in gay bashing?

Fact. There is a streak of puritanism that runs through quite a bit of the population. A fanatical streak bolstered by some of the political coalitions in the country. ‘Believers’ who cannot believe that anyone who believes any differently is worth of attention, or life and consideration for that matter. Religion is a hard task master and mistress.

And there’s the ‘powerlessness’ secondary to lack of political openness? No, that argument doesn’t seem enough. Too much of a ‘blame it on the circumstances’ variety of arguments!

Ugandans are very ‘liberal’ with regards to heterosexual sex.
Oh yes, the churches preach what they preach. But for example, a former head (Archbishop) of the Protestant church had another ‘unofficial family’. Polygamous, which is no big deal in the country, anathema in the Anglican Church! Of course when it became widely known, he was shamed. But, that is so common in Uganda that those who dare to say otherwise are just hypocrites. One Pentecostal pastor is a serial monogamist, divorcing and marrying, reportedly on his 7^th bride. It is ‘well known’ but I haven’t been keeping good record! Another pastor, of the SALT media empire, is in a ‘customary marriage’ with his one wife, without having dissolved the previous marriage. The ex-lady denied a divorce? Anyway, he is bigamous, from the legal fiction side. And of course the ‘fathers’ of the Catholic church are known for their propensity at having quite a few children, despite the official celibate position. Politicians and other powerful people, men and women, have known lovers.., no problem.

In Ugandan society, those silly little heterosexual issues are regularly taken in step. They happen, even when they are denied officially.

When it comes to homosexuality there is official, and unofficial horror.

Fact. There is no real debate about homosexuality in Uganda. Only official gay bashing. Anyone who dares to speak on behalf of gay Ugandans is a ‘promoter’ or ‘recruiter’, and…

All sorts of craziness.

The point was priorities.
Why does my sexuality seem so important that fellow Ugandans are up in arms, ready to ‘go to war’ on the drop of an ecclesiastical hat? Fact, the current political regime has regularly taken advantage of that, even in the absence of any overt opposition to their statements on the ground. Its just good politics.

But why are Ugandans so gullible? So responsive? We were ripe, the hanging fruit for these right wing Americans. Ready to be picked, and goodness, we have been picked! And Museveni prides himself on being a ‘Pan African’ nationalist. To be duped into neo-colonialism, betrayed by ignorance and the dog whistle of homophobia!

 

gug