Ugandan LGBTI activist, Frank Mugisha. Image taken from Twitter (@frankmugisha).

Frank Mugisha, a prominent young advocate for the rights of sexual minorities in Uganda, has been chosen to receive the prestigious Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award. Mr. Mugisha is the Executive Director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), a leading organization of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) movement in the East African country.In Uganda, LGBTI organizations operate in a dangerously hostile climate, and Mr. Mugisha is one of the few openly gay LGBTI activists. As a spokesperson for the movement, he amplifies the voice of one of the most vulnerable groups in the country.

“Frank Mugisha's unbending advocacy for gay rights in Uganda in the face of deep-rooted homophobia is a testament to the indomitability of the human spirit,” said RFK Human Rights Award Judge Dean Makau Mutua, Professor of Law and Dean of the University at Buffalo Law School (SUNY).

The Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights established the Award in 1984 to recognise activists and support authors and journalists working for the advancement of human rights:

The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award was established in 1984 to honor courageous and innovative individuals striving for social justice throughout the world. Each year, the RFK Center awards an individual whose courageous activism is at the heart of the human rights movement and in the spirit of Robert Kennedy.

Frank Mugisha has significantly contributed to advancing gay rights in Uganda, a country which earlier this year has seen the proposal of the controversial anti-gay bill and the assault and murder of the late David Kato, another famous gay activist.

Mugisha runs Sexual Minority Uganda (SMUG), a gay center in capital Kampala comprised of two member organisations: Integrity Uganda, which tackles the crucial integration of identity and religion amongst LGBTI Ugandans, and Icebreakers Uganda, which focuses more on research and youth issues.

Our Vision: A liberated LGBTI people of Uganda.
Our mission: is to oversee and support member organizations to achieve their objectives aimed at LGBTI liberation.
As a coalition, we focus on advocacy and coordination of efforts by local and international bodies.

Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy and Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, will present Frank Mugisha with his award in Washington, D.C., on November 10.

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The latest victim is a twenty-four year old soccer player from Johannesburg who was stabbed to death minutes after dropping off her girlfriend. DA newsroom reports:

Ms Nogwaza’s murder – she was stoned, stabbed and gang-raped – is now the latest in what has become a string of violent assaults known as “corrective rapes”, which are allegedly intended to “cure” members of the gay and lesbian community of their sexual orientation. The Democratic Alliance (DA) unequivocally condemns these crimes and the contemptible motives behind them in the strongest terms. They are an affront to the constitutional values of freedom and equality which we all hold dear, and have rightly outraged progressive South Africans everywhere who recognise that gay rights are also human rights.

Noxolo was an avid LGBT campaigner and also worked at the Ekurhuleni Pride Organizing Committee. This is a continuous series of several rapes, some leading to death in South Africa; a month before another thirteen year old lesbian was also raped in Pretoria:

A 13-year-old lesbian girl was raped in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, says the department of justice and constitutional development.

“Government condemns this senseless and cowardly act of criminality,” department spokesman Tlali Tlali said in a statement on Friday.

He said the girl, who was open about her sexuality, was raped in what seemed to be an act of “corrective rape” on Thursday.

According to activists, lesbian women are often victims of “corrective rape”, which is forced sex with a man to “cure” their sexuality.

The department said every South African had the right to express themselves in the sexual orientation of their choice.

Tlali said police and the National Prosecuting Authority’s sexual offences and community affairs unit would investigate the case.

The girl and her family would also receive assistance from the department of justice and the department of social development.

Millicent Gaika, another victim of corrective rape in South Africa. Photo source: lezgetreal.com

As South Africans celebrated the 17th independence anniversary last month, Sokari noted that black lesbians had little to celebrate:

Today is the 17th anniversary of South Africa’s independence but for Black lesbians there is little to celebrate as today we learn of the rape and murder of yet another young sister. The Constitution debated and formed to protect all South Africans has failed the majority of South Africans. It has shamefully failed the most vulnerable people in the country and in particular young Black lesbians. The body of Noxola Nogwaza was found on Sunday morning. This is just 4 weeks after the body of 20 years old Nokuthula Radebe was discovered and which has not even been reported in the media. The pain of these brutal attacks grows and my heart goes out to their family and friends. May both Nogwaza and Nokuthula Rest in Peace

Ben Khumalo Seegelken commented on Sokari's post:

Disgusting crimes and violation of human rights will continue ravaging society as long as only a few stand up and raise their voice in protection of marginalised individuals and minorities: Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and friends, teachers and neighbours - each one of us could prevent criminals from intimidating or doing harm to girls and boys, men and women living among us - our sons, daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and colleagues, neighbours and students, teachers and leaders - by making it clear for everybody that we accept and respect them as unconditionally as we do accept and respect ourselves and everybody else. Every family is diverse - it consists of people of different identities and orientation; the community as well. None of the various different identities - lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and others - ought to be marginalised or discriminated against!

Sarinmona was deeply disturbed:

I am deeply distured by this. What a shame. You have to be very careful who you tell your business to. Some men hate you for being gay. They will take your life and not even blink. Some women will roll their eyes at you thinking that you want them. Being gay doesn't rub off. You can't catch it. Truth be told gay people are very picky and probably not even look at you, so don't be scared. The violence must stop. I pray they rise up for this poor young woman. They should find those men and YES publicly do to them what they did to her. Excuse me, I have to go throw up now. I am sick to my stomach.

The New Black Woman is sad to know there are women in a country as modern as South Africa who continue to face the threat of “corrective rape”:

Rape is about controlling and exerting power and dominance over women. Rape is about instilling fear in the hearts and minds of women. It pains me to know there are women in a country as modern as South Africa who continue to face this threat each and every day just because they don't conform into heterosexual or cisgender norms. It sickens, but doesn't surprise me, to know there are men out there who are willing to utilize such violence and hatred towards women because they don't fit their standards of what it means to be a woman.

Ironically, a man's willingness to and society's tolerance of rape to put me in my place reminds should remind women of the everlasting second-class citizenship we continue to hold in the global world.

Luleki Sizwe, a South African charity that works to rescue, support, feed and nurse to health survivors of corrective rape, created a petition last year on change.org targeting South African Justice Minister Jeffrey Radebe, calling on the South African government to declare “corrective rape” a hate-crime.

Corrective rape cases are on the rise despite South Africa being the the first African country to legalize same-sex marriage and the world’s first republic to guarantee LGBT citizens equal rights.

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The case was filed by three people from Ugandan gay rights group, Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), whose pictures and towns of residence were published in a previous issue of Rolling Stone.

Last year the Rolling Stone published 100 pictures of Uganda's “top homos” with their names and where they lived. The Managing editor Giles Muhame claimed that children are being lured into homosexuality and that society needs to know whoever is recruiting them.

Temporary injunction was granted by the court last year following an application by Sexual Minorities Uganda:

The Uganda tabloid Rolling Stone has been ordered by the High Court to stop publication of the names and photos of people who it believes are gay and lesbian saying this was “an invasion of privacy”

Ugandan blogger, Gay Uganda, has been pleased with the permanent injunction that is going to bar any further outings by Rolling Stone or any other related media. Gay Uganda has expressed his happiness on the ruling:

Oh yes. Fitting that my first post of the year is of a victory, won in the courts of Uganda, by gay Ugandans.

See, last year, the Rolling pebble, a nascent newspaper decided to brush up its circulation by doing what others had never dared to do before. Publishing the photos of purported gay Ugandans. And, the exhorted the population to ‘Hang Them'

Three of those supposedly gay people took them to court.

Won an injuction, temporarily, to stop the publication of 100 Homosexuals. And inciting the public to ‘hang them'…. or whatever.

Now, that injunction is permanent.

Yep. It is a victory. And, I am so happy that it has been so.

[…]the judgement says it is simply unconstitutional.

“Another victory, another step, another smile,” says Gay Ugandan Teen:

Sitting here in my bedroom at 11:00pm, I’m reading about the recent victory of our gay activists against the rolling trash can. Another victory, another step, another smile. […]
The unbeatable fact is step by step gay people in Africa and other parts of the world will be seen as equal human beings, and all that is good and truthful is on our side…nothing and no one can work against the tide of what is right and just for long, they all fall eventually. Ssempa is in mid-air right now. You don’t go spreading lies and hate and think you’ll be a happy human being. Sorry! The universe does not work that way! When will we learn that? What goes around people!

Random says that this is a wonderful way to start the year:

Today, it made it to the news that the High Court of Uganda had ruled in favour of the plaintiffs in a case against the infamous Rolling Stone, the tabloid that had launched a scathing ‘war on homosexuality' by publishing names and pictures of people the editors felt were gay. Though I do not have the details yet, I am glad this has come to pass in my time. It is an awesome way to start the year, and though the ruling was delayed a few weeks, I know it would have made a wonderful Christmas gift.

[…]For now, we celebrate this victory at home. We can live in peace, and not be worried about being outed by a semi-literate, bloodthirsty, ignoramus called Giles Muhame.

This is not the first time a Ugandan court has decided in favour of gay people:

…you'll also know that this is not the first time a Ugandan court is deciding in favour of gay people whose rights have been infringed upon. A couple of years ago, there was the case against the attorney general, where the police and some local council officials had abused several rights of two lesbians in Kampala. This is progress. Two cents, but progress. We may not be getting the right to marry, but that's not what we're asking for. All we are asking for at the moment is for the right to be alive, and to be respected as the human beings we are.

Wamala Dennis posts the ruling:

In considering whether the Rolling Stone’s publication of alleged homosexuals’ names, addresses and preferred social hang-outs constituted a violation of the applicant’s constitutional rights, the Court, ruled that:

1) The motion is not about homosexuality per se, but ‘…it is about
fundamental rights and freedoms,’ in particular about whether ‘the
publication infringed the rights of the applicants or threatened to do
so’.

2) The jurisdiction of Article 50 (1) of the Constitution is dual in nature, in that it extends not just to any person ‘whose fundamental rights or other rights or freedoms have been infringed in the first place,’ but also to ‘persons whose fundamental rights or other rights or freedoms are threatened to be infringed.’

3) Inciting people to hang homosexuals is an attack on the right to dignity of those thus threatened: ‘the call to hang gays in dozens tends to tremendously threaten their right to human dignity.’

Jim Burroway reports that Giles Muhume, Rolling Stone editor, remains defiant:

Giles Muhume, Rolling Stone editor, remained defiant in the face of the court ruling. In a press release, he said that “homos had a short-lived smile today” but that Rolling Stone would appeal the decision. Calling the ruling a risk to media freedom, Muhume added, “The newspaper will fight homos on different fronts. Our supporters should remain strong –- the agents of the devil shall be defeated.”

Sokari congratulates all those who had the courage to fight the case in court:

This is fantastic news and a tremendous win for LGBTI people in Uganda. Congratulations to all those who had the courage to fight this case.

You can view the full text of the ruling here.

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Luleki Sizwe is a South African charity that works to rescue, support, feed and nurse to health survivors of corrective rape. Luleki Sizwe was founded in 2007 by community activist Ndumie Funda after her fiancée was the a victim of corrective rape.

According to Luleki Sizewe there are at least 10 gang rapes a week in Cape Town:

According to the organization, every week more than 10 lesbians are raped or gang raped in the city of Cape Town alone. 150 women are raped every day in South Africa and over the past decade 31 lesbians have been murdered because of their sexuality. 510 women report being the victims of ‘corrective rape’ in South Africa each year.

Luleki Sizwe created a petition on change.org targeting South African Justice Minister Jeffrey Radebe calling on the South African government to declare “Corrective Rape” a Hate-Crime that is punishable by the harshest sentences! At the time of writing, there were 63,994 signatures. The petition has become the most popular Change.org petition of all time:

This is now the most popular Change.org petition of all time! But what has the minister done in response? Absolutely nothing. That's about to change, with a new petition calling on Minister Radebe to meet with Luleki Sizwe founder Ndumie Funda. For regular updates on the ‘corrective rape' campaign please ‘Like' the Human Rights Facebook and Twitter pages and try to check in regularly.

There is a widespread belief that homosexuality is unAfrican and should be abolished:

However, there is a widespread belief that homosexuality is ‘unAfrican’; the assertion of ‘unAfricanness’ conceals a moral and cultural view that African societies are somehow unique and immune to what is perceived to be a Western and European import. The systematic vilification of homosexuality by several African leaders over the years has fuelled these perceptions, which are deeply rooted in culture and tradition.

Eudy Simelane, a football star in the South African national soccer team, was gang raped and then murdered in 2008. Thato Mpithi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 32 years imprisonment in one of the most successful cases against corrective rape:

The long awaited judgment in the murder trial of lesbian activists and former Banyana Banyana player Eudy Simelane was concluded today in Delmas.Khumbulane Magagula,Johannes Mahlangu and Themba Mvubu faced the charges of robbery with aggravating circumstances,rape and murder Simelane.Thato Mphiti was convicted of the same crimes in February 2009 for the same crimes to 32 years imprisonment.

The South African the justice system is accused of failing the victims by letting the perpetrators out on ridiculously low bail:

Last month the South African authorities released Andile Ngcoza, a man who raped, beat up and strangled Millicent Gaika (pictured) for five hours to ‘turn her straight’, in a case that has been well covered by Change.org. Mr Ngcoza was released on R60 bail, the equivalent of less than $10. That led Ndumie Funda, who had helped Millicent Gaika recover from the rape and advocated for her case, to go into hiding.

Lesego Tlhwale argues that corrective rape strips women off their basic human rights as enshrined in international laws:

South Africa for one is faced by a pandemic of violations against lesbian women called Corrective Rape, this form of violation is used to brutalise women by members of the opposite sex as a means to ‘correct’ their sexual orientation. This vile practice does not only violate women but also strips them off their basic human rights as enshrined in the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and other international laws.

Michael Jones argues that the practice should be a hate crime:

If the phrase “corrective rape” sounds jarring to you, it should. It's a brutal concept whereby straight people think that LGBT folks can be “cured” through forced sex. The practice has become systemic and widespread in South Africa, particularly against the lesbian community, with upwards of ten new cases of corrective rape being reported each week. And that's just in Cape Town alone.

Yet despite its heinous and vile nature, corrective rape is not considered a hate crime in South Africa. And that's something that a small yet vocal group of women want to change.

Corrective rape is primarily a black on black crime in South Africa perpetrated in small, poor townships, notes Pat Griffin:

Sadly, “corrective rape” is primarily a black on black crime in South Africa perpetrated in small, poor townships where the rapists and the women who are targeted often know each other. The rapists are rarely punished and the women must live with the probability of seeing their rapists or being taunted and threatened by them after the attack. Even though South Africa has a progressive constitution with legal protections for LGBT people, hatred and bigotry toward LGBT people is still alive and well.

There is always a danger in focusing on injustice in another culture. That danger is to fail to hold a mirror to one’s own culture and recognize the injustices at home. My intention in writing about “corrective rape” in South African is not to ignore anti-gay bigotry in the United States or to focus on black homophobia as opposed to white homophobia.

She posts a link to a 16 minute video by Jeremy Schaap focusing on the phenomenon of “corrective rape” in South Africa.

According to James Quin, recently a US military general proposed corrective rape for lesbians in the US army:

Did you know Lesbianism can be cured by rape. Its true. In South Africa. Recently a US military general proposed the same thing for US military woman. Stop The Insanity.

In November 2010 African Activist reported about Millicent Gaika who faced her rapist in court:

Millicent Gaika was beaten and raped for five hours by a man who told her he wanted to “turn her into a woman”. This week, in an act of extraordinary bravery, Millicent testified in court before her rapist.

US evangelists touring Africa should stop spewing “their garbage indictments negating the right to love” :

At the same time for as long as our own Government here in the USA continues to ignore our own desperate call for equality, and for as long as US Evangelical demons are set loose on African soil to spew their garbage indictments negating the right to love, we as a Nation are complicit in the crimes against humanity, for if we are no longer leaders qualified to call for an end to the hate, nor are we credible to impress upon ZUMA and MUGABE and the rest of Africa the Perils of such hate.

This is a roundup of corrective rape testimonies from the continent:

In October, I wrote about the Ugandan Rolling Stone, a newspaper that published the pictures, names and addresses of gays and lesbians in Uganda with the words “Hang Them” accompanying the photographs. As we await this decision, it’s really important to point out how the increasing incidences of violence against gay people in Africa include the grotesque practice of corrective rape, where women are raped, and in some cases, infected with HIV and/or made pregnant.

Two important stories that demonstrate the seriousness of this phenomenon are from survivors Sheila Hope Mugisha in Uganda and Millicent Gaika of South Africa.

Last year, ActionAid UK released a study documenting the rising use of corrective rape in South Africa.

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Bloggers have expressed outrage and dismay towards the Prime Minister's attitude towards gays and lesbians.  Gay Nairobi Man explains how impossible it will be to arrest gays under the new constitution and that the Kenyan penal code does not say anything against lesbianism:

Secondly, there is no law against homosexual behavior( whatever that means). The law he could be referring to could be the penal code which talks about carnal knowledge between two men( so called Sodomy laws) but does not mention homosexuality Gay activists meet openly and have registered organizations fight for gay rights and they are breaking no laws.
So, we can assume that what Raila means is that homosexuals will be arrested for having sex with a person of the same sex. The only way this can happen is if you are having sex in public- this could apply to heterosexuals too. If the police were to break into my house to try and catch me having sex with my boyfriend, I would throw so many broken laws ( including entrapment, right to privacy etc) that they would not sustain a case against me.
Raila went further to speak about lesbianism. Surprisingly, it seems that Raila does not know that the penal code does not say anything about or against lesbianism. NOTHING.  So, by him making those declarations, he has exposed his ignorance of the law.

Pierre Le Roux, a South African blogger, asks, “will institutionalized homophobia in Africa ever be eradicated?”:

Institutionalized homophobia does not seem to be going away anytime soon. Parts of Africa still like to bully homosexuals for political gain while others appear to have no problem to turn their backs on the GLBT community when it serves their agendas.[…]
It has been reported by the Gay and Lesbian Coalition of Kenya, that since Sunday they have received numerous phone calls from members of the GLBT community expressing their fears of being arrested or possibly falling victim to extortion of money from people threatening to expose them or officials wanting to arrest them.

Tamaku, an admirer of the prime minister, reminds Mr. Odinga that he promised a “New Kenya” where the state would not be on control of private lives:

[…]he spoke convincingly of a New Kenya where citizens’ private lives would be free from the control of the State and we cheered him on because we thought here is a politician with depth. {…}
Therefore can the Prime Minister also issue a statement to clarify just how police are to identify homosexuals before arresting them? Will it now be an offence for two men to be enjoying a quiet drink together if none of them is married? Will police now patrol the estates in vans festooned with ‘Government of Kenya Rectal Exam Unit’? And if one is identified as homosexual will he be sent to the Kenyan colony on Mars since homosexuality is considered ‘unAfrican’ and ‘unnatural'? I seriously want to put this whole saga to one side and accept it as just cheap politics and playing to the gallery in the week we heard about drug-trafficking government officials but I still can’t help thinking it is unethical conduct and most unbecoming of the office of Prime Minister.

Throwing gays behind bars on the basis of sexual orientation is violation of human rights and it is not a question of right or wrong/ natural or unnatural- Gige Nyaga argues:

The question here is not whether or not being gay is right or wrong/natural or unnatural! The question we need to ask is whether or not sexual preference is grounds for being placed behind bars or as the good PM states “being turned in to relevant authorities”. It could easily be argued that sexual orientation is now deemed a matter of human rights and what the PM is purporting could be viewed as a violation of these rights especially because the principles guiding these rights on sexual orientation relate to equality and non-discrimination whose violation is strictly punishable by law according to our constitution!

RayRae has written a letter to the Prime Minister:

Dear PM,

I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. I should say I am greatly disappointed in you, I voted you in as my leader knowing that my cries would be heard, my way of living would change as I will have better education and my living standards would rise and my countries economy would be one to reckon with.

Now that you are in power, you are using that power to hurt me and kill my spirits as a Kenyan. What if i was your daughter, would you hide me and still incite my killing? How is that I am breaking the law by hurting now one? What of those bandits who kill with no emotions? What about those that rape our young girls and leave them dead or with a lifetime mystery?

Railahomophobia Tweets:

Twitter harsh tag for this topic is #Railahomophobia. Zawadi urges activists to join Kenyans to stop homophobia”

Join Kenyans on #WorldAIDSDay be a part of the #PreventionRevolution and stop #RailaHomophobia http://bit.ly/g2rASe #takebackthetech

KeneMwikya thanks bloggers for writing about RailaHomophobia:

Thanks to all the guys blogging about #railahomophobia, i wish i could blog too but i'm far from home, tyl guys, make kesho rock!

Was Raila Oding misquoted?:

So the PM is to issue a statement today saying the media misquoted him- that he was referring to gay marriage being illegal #Railahomophobia

Well, let's hear him in his own words:

In his own words! Listen for yourself http://bit.ly/eeakBI So how could the PM have been misquoted? #RailaHomophobia #takebackthetech

Why is Barack Obama friendly with this horrible man?:

Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Gays: “We Will Jail Them” - Why is Barack Obama friendly with this horrible man? http://goo.gl/V0tc0

Was his statement a blessing in disguise?:

Although maybe we should thank the Kenyan PM for providing a rallying call for World AIDS day Dec 1st.

Kenyan Pundit wonders:

Shouldn't he be focusing on corrupt Cabinet members, nkt? Kenya PM Raila Odinga orders arrest of gay couples:http://bit.ly/iindL9

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This is going to be her sixth month since her surgery and she feels that she is more at ease with her life than before. Her main goal is to educate the public on transgender issues in Kenya by answering questions from the public about her journey on her blog.  She has blogged about her surgery orchidectomy, blogging and challenges she has to go through; violent encounters, how she had to move houses and her struggle with her identification documents. Her story has also been highlighted in one of the Kenyan daily newspaper and she hopes that she will make a difference in the Kenyan society.

I recently interviewed Lindsay about her transitional journey, blogging and other issues relating to transgender community in Kenya and Africa.

Question: What inspired you to start a blog?
Answer: At the time, I felt I needed to share out my views, rant, have a place to be free and talk about my thoughts feelings and stuff. It was the perfect place where I could be myself without hiding. I also thought I could reach out to others like me and learn from them.

Q: For how long have you been blogging?
A: The blog has been operational for the last two years. My first post is dated May 2008. That's when I started.

Q: What is the life of transgendered person in Kenya?
A: That's not an easy question. We are different. Some of us have it easy (like me) and some of us have it rough. I for one was blessed enough to have the support of most of my family including my Mother, to have a source of income which enables me to purchase hormones and undergo surgery (Bilateral Orchidectomy) and simply survive. Others do not have this. Some of us have had to become sex workers so as to have a livelihood. Most of us, because of family pressure, lack of finances and other factors, still live in their assigned sexes (for example a trans man still living as a woman) and therefore is still suffering within. Others because of fear of stigma, cannot do anything.

In general, if you are discovered to be transgender, the likelihood of you being stigmatized, harassed, discriminated against, beaten up, ridiculed, publicly undressed to see what you have between your legs and the worst of all, corrective raped is high. Sometimes even such violations are done by the very peopled entrusted with the power to protect us, i.e. the police. Even more disheartening, is that the government has little policies and laws that assist the transgendered person in Kenya and. What's there is that police use laws such as “impersonation” to harass and jail trans persons.

Q: What drove the desire for your  transition? When did you start journey?

A: I consider myself a woman. I wanted to look like one. The way I felt I was, who I felt I was. This was my desire. To be me. Both inside and out. I hated pretending to be something I wasn't.

I began transitioning about a year ago in September 2009. The process is not easy. At first, because of my physical appearance, it was extremely difficult to convince people that I was female. In fact, one of the incidences I had was in a hotel where I wanted to use the ladies and this guard forcefully stopped me asking me why I was going into the ladies room and saying “Are you a girl?” repeatedly. Luckily I was saved by one of the hotel employees. I came to understand later that the said employee had previously worked in South Africa and hence was exposed to such scenarios.

After months of struggling and intake of hormones, my appearance improved and it was hard to detect that I was previously male-looking. I was excited. Later on I managed to book for an appointment with a surgeon to undergo Bilateral Orchiectomy. This in lay terms is a castration – the removal of the testes. I did this because one, I needed to save up on cost of reducing testosterone levels in my body and the elimination of testes meant that I produced virtually no testosterone, and two, I felt that it would not be a problem to have them anyway, if anything, I'd be happier without them. To me they were a nuisance. I still haven't done the main GRS as it is costly and am not yet prepared for it. Also, to have it done in Kenya is a big problem and people who have attempted before have faced numerous challenges that have proved futile.

Q: When did you learn that you are a transgender other than gay or any other labels that would be stamped on you?
A: I discovered I was different when I was about 4 years old. I knew that something wasn't right. Something about my gender. Back then I didn't know what it was. Until later in life when I was in high school and was introduced to internet and discovered the word GID (gender identity disorder). Before then, I knew about gays, but I knew that that didn't describe what I felt/was.

Q: You have a post on your blog that says “I don't exist” clarify on that. What problems does a trans person  go through in Africa.

A: I wrote that post in lamentation for the bare fact that, while I do have an identity card, it is in a name that I do not use, that I cannot use and that I refuse to use. Again, it has a picture of someone who does not even remotely look like me. Therefore, even if I tell someone that that is my ID card, they'd hardly believe me.

Also, getting a new identity card with my new name is not allowed. The current laws might allow for change of name but they don't allow for change of sex. In addition, that change of name is rarely approved if it is clearly a change from a male name to a female name or vice versa. This is why I termed myself “an alien”.

Q: How do you feel now that now that you have gone through your surgery gender reassignment surgery? What do you friends and family think?

A: Let me clarify that I have not undergone GRS yet. What I had is a castration.

Considering the reasons why I did so, my supporting family & friends have no problem with it, although the question of whether I wanted to have offspring came up often. I told them I didn't mind not having kids from my own blood/sperm for the bare fact that the means (of having the baby) would not be acceptable to me.

Q: How has your  life changed now that you are a transgender woman?

A: I am a happier more fulfilled person now. I feel rejuvenated, I feel happy practically daily and living now for me has more meaning. I am much much better than I was a year ago.

Q: How would you describe LGBT blogosphere in Africa?

A: Africa has few LGBTI bloggers (yes, people tend to forget the “I” yet they are part of it!) but the ones I have seen actually help improve the image of lgbti persons in society. I have heard people tell me that their views have changed simply because they read something on my blog or on some other lgbti's blog. I actually hope to see more and more lgbti bloggers out there and even more specific, have a intersex person share their livelihood, challenges and joys with us so as to learn more and increase our tolerance levels.

Q: Has blogging helped in communicating LGBT issues in Kenya, what is the progress?

A: Yes. I think a lot has changed and by people reading blogs from lgbti persons, more awareenss is created. There are many many blogs out there being published daily and I feel that this has helped. One blogger friend called me the first Kenyan transgender blogger and I feel so honored. I am happy thay through my blogging, many have learnt a lot about trans persons and the pink community in general.

Q: What do you think about the future of blogging concerning LGBTs?

A: I think the future now needs to shift into more personal issues. Considering that awareenss is being increased every day, word about such blogs needs to be out there more. The only problem is that there are less ‘out' or visible bloggers and that anonymity poses a certain detriment.

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The gay couple, Steven Monjenza and Towonge Chimbalanga, hosted an engagement ceremony December 27 last year. They were immediately arrested and thrown in jail. They were denied bail for safety reasons, forced to go for psychiatric evaluation and a compulsory medical examination to confirm charges of sodomy.

Nyasa Times reports that they have been found guilty on charges of homosexuality “unnatural offenses” (Sections 153) and “indecent practices between males” (Article 156) of the Malawi Penal Code, a day after Malawi being declared a point of interest by IDAHO organisers:

Blantyre Magistrate Court has found guilty gay couple Steven Monjenza, 26, and Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, on charges of homosexuality.

Magistrate Nyakwawa Usiwa Usiwa convicted the two when he pronounced his verdict on Tuesday.The couple could be imprisoned for up to 14 years.

The two male adults were arrested on 27 December, a day after they performed a public traditional engagement, the first by a Malawian same sex couple.

The  African Activist says in addition to being denied bail, they were humiliated in court and Tiwonge was forced to clean up his vomit despite being ill. They were held in protective custody when the judge said that they were safer inside prison than out:

In addition to the humiliation of forced medical exams, there have been several reports of the couple suffering humiliating treatment in court, including being mocked for their relationship by trial observers and forced to clean up vomit after one became ill. Since their arrest, Monjeza and Chimbalanga have been held in Chichiri Prison in Blantyre under “protective custody,” despite the fact that they and their lawyers have argued that they were unsafe in prison. The two were repeatedly denied bail, a decision condemned by the Malawi Law Society. The Malawi Law Society said in an interview “We feel that the reasons for [their] being denied bail were not meritable … It's like saying that let's keep them here until they get convicted. Really the reasons for refusing them bail are not in line with the Constitution”

This news has caused mixed reactions to people all over the world, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC)has written a letter to the Malawian president Bingu wa Mutharika expressing  their disappointment of the ruling especially coming after he aired homophobic comments by saying homosexuality was “Un- Malawian, evil and disgusting” and linking it to corruption, violence, theft and prostitution. The letter pleads with the president as the head of African Union to revoke the verdict  and  ensure human rights for all Africans:

This ruling comes shortly after your recent comments on homosexuality and the recent harassment of a conference on the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in HIV/AIDS programming. As the President of Malawi and as the Chairperson of the African Union, we ask that you reaffirm that all Africans are entitled to enjoy the human rights laid out in the African Charter and other domestic, regional and international documents, regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity. […]
IGLHRC is alarmed that today's verdict and your comments do not reflect a deep commitment to protecting and promoting these guarantees either in Malawi or within the African Union. We ask you to swiftly and publicly reaffirm the human rights of all Africans – including LGBT Malawians – to privacy and freedoms of assembly, association, opinion, and expression. We also ask that you demonstrate your commitment to those rights by investigating police harassment of the recent conference in Liwonge, reprimanding any wrongdoing by the police, pardoning and releasing Monjeza and Chimbalanga, and repealing all discriminatory laws which target LGBT Malawians and deprive them of their fundamental rights.

Mia Kirshner the Director of I Live here whose first project is in Kachere Juvenile Prison Malawi  expresses herself here:

Malawi is a beautiful country and is rich in culture and diversity. This ruling will be a stain on its beauty and richness.

Please. I ask that the international community of activists, the United Nations, politicians in Malawi and international human rights lawyers speak up and help these men.

By doing this, protection of individual rights will be served and precedent set to in order to open the doors for other couples to be able to stop living in fear.

As for me, I will continue to work in Malawi and continue to speak up and out. No one can stop me.

I won't give up on this beautiful country because I know that these draconian laws betray the great beauty of this country I love so much.

Alex Engwete, considers this case as a sign of madness spreading throughout Africa:

As I’ve been saying all along, there’s only one way that Western donors, who fund these African feudal and obscurantist governments, can rein in this madness spreading throughout Africa like bushfire: cut off aid to these banana republics… NOW!

Amnesty International has dubbed them as prisoners of conscience:

Amnesty International considers both men prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for their perceived consensual same sex relationship, and has urged the Malawian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release the two men.

Anengiyefa was one of the bloggers anxiously waiting for the verdict. He says the Malawian government is unable to protect the children of the country but are on the front line to persecute harmless homosexual men:

I put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the Malawian government for failing to protect the children of the country. And yet it is this same government that will enthusiastically pursue and persecute harmless homosexual men. I eagerly await the verdict next Tuesday and the fallout thereafter if the couple are jailed. […] The Malawi Law Society (MLS), the professional body of the country's 200 lawyers, has spoken out in favour of the couple, saying that they are “not a threat to the society” and should be freed. This is an about-turn from a few months ago when Malawian lawyers proclaimed that the couple broke the law and deserve to face justice. It is a clear example of the effectiveness of the efforts of rights campaigners worldwide, who since this saga began in December 2009, have ceaselessly stressed the injustice that is inherent in the continued detention of the couple and how unlikely it is that they will get a fair trial in the face of such massively hostile public opinion.

Tiwonge thanked the world for their support and here is the killer quote:

“I love Steven so much. If people or the world cannot give me the chance and freedom to continue living with him as my lover, then I am better off to die here in prison. Freedom without him is useless and meaningless.”

“We have come a long way and even if our family relatives are not happy, I will not and never stop loving Tiwonge.”

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IDAHO highlights places where homophobia is on the rise. This year the focus is on three Africa countries: Kenya, Uganda and Malawi:

May 17th — International Day Against Homophobia (IDAHO) — is a day when people of good will bring the spotlight of world attention to the problem of anti-gay discrimination and violence and highlight those places where Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people are suffering the most egregious human rights violations.

This year's IDAHO focus is three countries in Africa - Uganda, Kenya and Malawi. Africa may seem far away to most Americans, but purveyors of hate against gays in the United States have played a key, behind-the-scenes role promoting anti-gay legislation in at least one country, Uganda. Moreover, the anti-gay hate pumped out by American evangelicals here and missionaries abroad is simply a more “respectable” version of the hate which is at the root of anti-gay mob violence in Africa.

A portion of the blame goes to the religious clerics, where the church has been accused of funding, promoting and spreading homophobia. Rev Rowland Jide, a Nigerian pastor of House of Rainbow says:

All over the world, transphobic and homophobic violence is often perpetrated by conservative people who use religion to justify their acts. This is not the privilege of any specific religion and it would be only too easy to find examples related to outburst of violence in Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, animist, etc… contexts. Leading to a climate of violence, exclusion, hate and discrimination within the faith groups and believers, these expressions of violence also indirectly influence many non-believers or atheist people, and lead them to opinions and acts that attack the dignity, safety and sometimes the very lives of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people. Far from being a phenomenon of the past, this religious violence is a persistent, and sometimes an increasing reality in many countries. The conservative religious right is also mandating its theology of violence and exclusion into the political realms as well.

The recent occurrences that puts Kenya, Uganda and Malawi at the center stage are:

Kenya

A post originally written by a gay activist in Kenya Denis Nzioka on the colourful life of a gay Kenyan talks about mobs attacking gay men in Mombasa, Kenya:

On Friday February 12th, reports started streaming in from Mombasa that mobs were attacking gay men in the township of Mtwapa. Through various engagements with some of the gay men witnessing the attacks, the Kenya Human Rights Commission was contacted to respond to the situation. While engaging with various players in Nairobi and Mombasa, KHRC decided to send Luke** of KHRC and Mark** to monitor the situation. Below is a brief write up of the information provided by James** of PEMA Kenya and John** of Stay Alive activists who responded on the ground to the violence and whose members were the most impacted by the sudden violent attacks on gay men in Mtwapa.

Background:
There are various version of where the wedding of two gay men rumor started and there is still need to investigate where the rumor started. There is even a suggestion that it was a planted story.

The Ugandan anti gay bill has been tabled in parliament and now it awaits the president Yoweri Museveni to sign and make homosexuality officially illegal. The previous code was not clear but now the bill called “The anti homosexuality Bill 2009” tabled by a member of parliament David Bahati which states that any homosexuality act or tendencies might face the death penalty or face life imprisonment.

Malawi

A gay couple were arrested after holding an engagement ceremony.

A Malawi court will sentence Tiwonge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza next month of charges of “gross indecency.” Chimbalanga, who identifies as a woman, and Monjeza were arrested last December after holding a traditional engagement ceremony. The couple face a maximum sentece of 14 years at hard labor.

Rev Jide writes on the aims of the International Day against homophobia as:

Arguments for the added value that the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia brings to advocacy strategies:
- It gets good media attention and provides an interesting moment to go public and talk to the media.
- It is a good opportunity to request political attention from policy makers.
- It generates mainstream social attention and allows getting messages out to constituencies that are outside of the “usual” LGBTI/Human Rights circles. It may therefore increase the public campaigning potential around LGBT issues, including through the mobilisation of social networks.
- Through the common focus on one Day, it allows joint initiatives to take place. It helps build perennial alliances around a cause.

It is proposed that the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia in both 2010 and 2011 are used as campaigning moments over this issue.

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According to IOL six years after her release Denise Abbah is ready for a fight with the department on the ordeal she went through. Denise is a mother of five:

There is nothing manly about 36-year-old Durban mother Denise Abbah. She is quite pleasant and no one in their right mind would suggest she looks like a man
Yet she was thrown into a men's prison cell for seven months, which resulted in her being raped and sodomised, she claims.

Now, six years after her release, Abbah wants revenge:

“I have been in hiding. My life has been turned upside down. I cannot go anywhere without people picking on me, calling me a man,” says the Durban mother of five. […]

In papers filed in the Durban Magistrate's Court, she is suing for R100 000 in damages, although she is seeking further advice on how to increase her claim.
Abbah's alleged torture began in September 2002 when she was sent to jail to await trial for armed robbery, attempted murder and hijacking - she was later acquitted on these charges.

Denise had her name mistyped as “Denis” instead of Denise and thrown in a cell with men where she was raped multiple times.

Christina Engela writes on her blog Sour grapes- The Fruits of Ignorance:

I think it should be pointed out that it's not so nice to be treated like us, is it? And therefore it's not nice the way WE are being treated - DESPITE provisions in existing laws that supposedly protect people from this sort of treatment.

Apparently some typically over-qualified genius in the employ of the State mistyped her name as “Denis” - when she was actually Denise. (Yes, that's right, with an “e” - as in “education“) That one slip of a key could easily have cost this woman her life. In point of fact, I would say that her life has been effectively ruined. Yes, she was detained on suspicion of having committed a crime - but now, despite having been cleared in court of all charges - she is a multiple rape victim, has suffered various forms of abuse and trauma, is suicidal, may have contracted HIV and numerous other diseases. A simple “We're so f***ing sorry” from the court and the Prison Service - or the State - is just not going to be good enough.

When Abbah began to menstruate, the prison guards told her that this was “because of the operation”. Because, you know, people bleed after miraculously-healed-up-and-scarless operations all the goddamned time.
4a) Believing that Abbah was bleeding, they did not attempt to provide medical care which, presumably, would have revealed that Abbah was cisgendered.
5) Now the government wants to subject Abbah to further humiliation by having her undergo gender testing to verify her claims, as though the above narrative (and the fact that she has borne five children, which should be readily legally verifiable) is not enough.

In what universe are any of the above things okay?

In “Judging a book by its cover” Helen G she describes Abbah's case as barbaric and a breach of human rights and gives a contrast of Nastaran Kolestani a trans woman imprisoned for eleven years in a men's cell :

For example, I’ve recently written about the trans woman prisoner referred to only as ‘B’ who was incarcerated in a cis men’s prison for five years; Nastaran Kolestani in the U.S.- held for 18 months before her case came to court – and a Spanish trans woman who was held in a cis men’s prison for eleven years – yes, eleven years – before she was granted the basic human rights that many of us take for granted.

But this is not about creating hierarchies of oppression – Ms Abbah’s treatment has been utterly barbaric: seven minutes would have been too long, let alone seven months – but to point out that comprehensive breaches of human rights are inflicted on trans women prisoners with almost sadistic cruelty over time periods of years, not months.

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The newly crowned winner of Mr. Gay World 2010 is Charl van den Berg, a 28-year old South African restaurant manager and blogger.

Charl beat competitors from Australia, Hong Kong, Spain and China to win the coveted title and become the second global gay ambassador following Max Krzyzanowski from Ireland. The aim of the competition is to find a leader who can take responsibility and talk about human rights and equality worldwide. The AFP wrote earlier this month:

OSLO — A South African man has won the 2010 Mr Gay World pageant, beating rivals from Australia, Hong Kong, China and Spain, the organisers said on Sunday.

Charl Van den Berg, 28, who runs a restaurant in Cape Town, won after four days of competition finished with a walk down a fashion runaway in an Oslo nightclub dressed in skimpy swimwear and various costumes.

The competition is aimed at “finding a leader who can take on the responsibility of being a spokesman for the community and who can also speak out on equality and human rights on the world stage,” a statement said.

After winning, Charl expressed himself on how he is ready to represent the gay community in a proper manner and urged the world to learn to love people who are different:

My hope is to be able to first of all represent the gay community in a proper manner, but at the same time to also just show people that it’s okay to love someone who’s different than you. You don’t have to focus on their differences, but you focus on what makes you a unit, what makes you and the other person equal.

On his blog he shows his patriotism by thanking the communities and Nelson Mandela, his sponsors and supporters who made this possible for him. Being the only representative from Africa in the competition, he has got a hard task ahead of him as many countries in Africa have refused to accept homosexuality.

Homosexuality is only legal in handful of countries in Africa such as South Africa, Rwanda (recently), Madagascar, Republic of Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Côte dl’voire, Cape Verde and Benin.

Wow! What an amazing experience and first two weeks. I want to thank you all personally for supporting me in my endeavors and goal of representing South Africa on a global stage. My fellow competitors were amazing and taught me a significant amount in diversity, cultural adversity and the challenges the LBGT community faces. This has clearly set the goals and objectives for my reign as their global spokesman and new Ambassador.

My first few days back home has made me realize the extent of the tasks that lay ahead, and it has been a whirlwind of events and interviews. However, the most humbling aspect has been the support I have received from all the communities within South Africa, and has made me proud to be a part of the Rainbow Nation that Mr. Mandela envisaged nearly four decades ago. I am proudly South African and embrace the diversity, potential and prospects the country offers on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Since, returning from my first trip abroad, I need to acknowledge the work and effort the local committee from Mr. Gay SA played in making the event possible and my representation in Oslo possible. Also, the sponsors and supporters of the event have made it comparable to other (major) local pageants.

Charl van de Berg believes he has got a message and a sense of social responsibility to give back to the people he interacts with in his community.

Not all is well in South Africa despite being the first country to legalize gay marriage in Africa and has a constitution that favors the gay community. He wants to fight heterosexual prejudice, homophobia,  AIDS and other issues confronting the LGBT community:

Yeah, yeah I know what you’re thinking these beauty competitions are so narcissistic and just brainless wonder parading around in skimpy underwear working hard for that sash and sceptre. LOL! Believe me I’m not here for the glory of being South Africa’s Number 1 Moffie. I actually have a message and a sense of social responsibility that I’d like to share and winning this title will provide me with a great opportunity to contribute positively towards the South African gay community and hopefully to South Africa in general.

Although I’m painfully aware that as South Africa we have a Constitution that is based on sexual equality, I think our biggest obstacle to this equality is not what we perceive to be so called heterosexual prejudice. Our biggest obstacle to true equality is our own internal prejudice within the gay community.

Amidst controversies of his past appearing on gay movies, Pierre Le Roux a South African blogger says his past should not determine here, people make mistakes and he should not be judged, he owned up to his mistakes and faced the music in a respectable manner he would make a great ambassador:

But do the making of one video and a few pictures actually make Charl van der Berg a veteran porn star? I think not! Sure he may have had a lapse of judgment, but then again everyone makes mistakes. The fact that he stood up and faced the music in a respectable manner says plenty about his character. So do I think he’s a suitable ambassador for the international gay community, yes I do. The GLBT community is not without our flaws and neither is South Africa. Having our own president embroiled in sex scandals with bastard children popping up with what seems to be everywhere, why can’t we be proud of our own homegrown Mr. Gay World even if he had made one dirty little film.

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The church was packed as many people came to see what homosexuals really do in their bedrooms, pastor Ssempa then went on to show graphic images of men in situations.

An interactive Kenyan site capitalfm.co.ke discusses the issue:

KAMPALA, Uganda, Feb 17 - A pastor seeking to bolster Uganda's anti-gay laws which already make homosexuality punishable by life imprisonment screened gay porn in a packed Kampala church Wednesday in a bid to drum up support.

The screening was attended by around 300 supporters crammed into an evangelical church in the Ugandan capital after plans for a “million-man march” were thwarted by police:

“We had planned to have a million-man and -woman march in Kampala but unfortunately we were told that we could not march because of security concerns,” Martin Ssempa told the crowd.

Police in the Ugandan capital Kampala blocked the demonstration that was due on the same day and he moved the rally to Jinja:

On Sunday, Police moved to halt a planned demonstration in support of the controversial Anti-Homosexuality Bill saying that the government is still sorting ‘issues out’ as pro-gay activists under the Unitarian Universalist Church of Kampala secretly met to condemn the same bill.

…[Inspector of Police Major General Kale] Gen. Kayihura confirmed that he hasn’t cleared the demonstration and said, “We asked them to postpone the demonstration because government has some issues to sort out and they agreed,”.

Homosexuals in Uganda are still vulnerable to his attacks as he continues to advocate the killing of gays and life imprisonment. His support for the bill is so overwhelming by a show of his organized march and screening of gay porn in church to expose gays to more hate; the legislation to demonize homosexuals is so strong as more people embrace his articulate and charismatic power to influence. Changing attitude highlights from GUG blog on how people applaud to his sermons on how the bible says gays should be killed:

In his report about Ssempa’s gay pornography Ash Wednesday in church, gug says he has heard that some mainstream Christians have had enough and are going to publicly oppose the bill. They are Anglicans and their strongly heart-felt opposition will be in marked contrast to the ‘wishy washy hypocrisy' of the Church of Uganda. If they are to have any more credibility, says gug, Christians will have to claim back their Church.

Gug watched the programme Agenda Uganda on NTV last night, in which Pastor Solomon Male justified the killing of gay Ugandans because they have refused to change. He said gays should be killed because the Bible says so, and the audience applauded – another extraordinary message for Ash Wednesday.

The debate continues on how culture rewards people who advocate the killing of gays and the pastor airing his sentiments and how he has gone to far. Below are some of the comments left on Capital FM by readers:

Haiya.This whole issue can be looked at in two perspectives,one-A church as a group of people have the right to give out their views as far as homosexuality and lesbianism is concerned.This is because one of the purpose of the church is to mold and produce upright people of the nation. Since police deny them an opportunity to match and air their views in open places, there was no other way of informing the poor/innocent citizens of the facts of homosexuality life,other than to enter into there places of work and teach them there followers. On the other side,the pornographic films are not supposed to be shown inside the God's temple.It could have been maybe at Mandela stadium where,though not sure,any group can demonstrate. Therefore let us not only see that part of showing porn at church but how will the common man in the village know what is good and /or bad of homo/heterosexuality? Lets not deny pastors of talking about the issue.

This is one of the results of being a mediocre church. The devil is very tactical so he knows how to do ‘infotainment' even on the pulpit. Satan has used Martin Ssempe to entertain people who came to praise their creator, He has also used the pastor to educate people on bedroom gay instead of teaching God's word. Jesus is coming sooner than we think. That Kampala church is not a congregation but a crowd of onlookers and idlers. No wonder the reporter calls them crowd. How can they sit and watch,instead of ousting the pastor?

It is very worrying at this moment in Uganda to see a “man of God” i hear “Dr,Pastor Martin Ssempa” doing a disgrace to the Christians of Uganda and East Africa as a block. In Uganda to start with promoting pornography is illegal, Un christian/un Godly if its done in church, To worsen matters its un cultural/ un African to talk about sex in public irrespective of being homosexual or heterosexual porn. This makes me wonder, Do we really have law enforcement people in Uganda? or the Right wing Christians are becoming untouchable simply because the state house is full of right wing Christians starting with the Big man to the gardener? Having met one on one with the LGBTI activists in Uganda several times, i have come to believe and respect them for the work they are doing, simply because one has to step on them for them to wake up and say we are being stepped on. These people do not condone Defilement and pedophilia irrespective of sexuality. So that leaves me wondering How is it the church's business for what 2 consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedroom? Is the church out of work or its clergy men are just too obsessed with sex and how people have it? Fellow Christians, lets get our facts right about the responsibilities of the church and the state. lets not mix the two otherwise we shall find ourselves having canon laws or Quranic laws governing us. I am not saying they are bad, but they don't fit anymore because they are not fair to the non believers. “Give God what belongs to God and to Ceaser ………”

Follow this links to read more comments.

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A few amendments on the bill by the legislators and supporters of the bill like dropping the death penalty and life imprisonment and by February 2010 the bill will be passed (see below) and be part of the law. The bill that has terms like “aggravated homosexuality” and “promotion of homosexuality” and provisions on attempt to commit, aiding and abetting, conspiracy to commit, using threats, detention with intent to commit are on the penal code.

After the slight amendments the only change on the bill will be to provide counseling for the gays, according to Bloomberg.com:

Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) — Uganda will drop the death penalty and life imprisonment for gays in a refined version of an anti- gay bill expected to be ready for presentation to Parliament in two weeks, James Nsaba Buturo, the minister of ethics and integrity, said.

The draft bill, which is under consideration by a parliamentary committee, will drop the two punishments to attract the support of religious leaders who are opposed to these penalties, Buturo said today in a phone interview from the capital, Kampala.

Ugandan lawmaker David Bahati presented a private member’s bill on Oct. 14 which sought the death penalty and life imprisonment for gay people in the country. The Ugandan government supports the bill because homosexuality and lesbianism are “repugnant to the Ugandan culture,” Buturo said. Still, it favors a more refined set of punishments, he said.

In addition to formulating punishments for the gay people, the bill will also promote counseling to help “attract errant people to acceptable sexual orientation,” said Buturo.

Barely a month ago, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni spoke out against gays and was advising the youth not to be recruited by Europeans:

President Museveni has joined the anti-gay crusade, saying he had received reports suggesting that “European homosexuals” had launched a recruitment drive in Africa.

He urged the youth to reject the advances. Expressing his homophobia, Mr Museveni said the youth must stand firm and abhor the divergent sexual orientation.

“I hear European homosexuals are recruiting in Africa,” said Mr Museveni on Saturday, to an audience of mainly youth at the Kampala Serena Hotel that homosexuality is un-natural.

“We used to have very few homosexuals traditionally. They were not persecuted but were not encouraged either because it was clear that is not how God arranged things to be.”

In a post titled “Spreading Homophobia” Sokari Ekine writes:

Yesterday was human rights day and the day chosen to hold the second protest against the Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Unfortunately considering the implications for LGBTI people the turn out was disappointingly low. However the Bill is still being reported in the mainstream media and blogging community though not always in a positive way. This article from the Gwaker “Ask an Expert” by one Andrew Rice who lived in Uganda for a couple of years. His claims of expertise are clearly over rated, as he seems to think that the death penalty will be dropped and like most Ugandan legislation will be “rarely and haphazardly enforced “. For these he gives the examples of smoking in public places, driving recklessly, stealing public funds and prostitution. With the exception of sex workers, there is no national stigma and religious zealousness behind any of these laws.

According to Gay Uganda blog, this weekend Martin Ssempa who had strong ties with Rick Warren (who has finally spoken out about the bill) was going around Uganda advising the locals to support the bill fully. The pastor who has been described as charismatic and can easily influence people has been holding workshops in Uganda telling the masses that homosexuals want to take over Uganda, whoever doesn't support the Anti- gay bill must be a homosexual himself.

He has been threatening the leaders who plan on speaking against the bill. He says people should join social networks and campaign for the bill to pass:

The latest reaching me is yesterday Sempa in church said the bill will be passed in Feb 2010 and that they had amended it.

He asked how many people had laptops and in the whole church there were 13 people and he asked if they had access to internet and they put hands down, then he asked those who had desk top computers the majority raised hands with access to internet none, He then went ahead and told them that all of us (LGBTI) have Laptops with internet.

He strengthened by saying next year (2010) Jan Campus (Makerere University) will have wireless internet so he advised them to sign up on Facebook and campaign for the bill to pass. Come Jan they are going to have billboards and posters all over the country campaigning fo rthe bill to pass. He told them if they dont have internet let them spend 500 shs (about quarter a USD) to access the (internet) cafe's and campaign.

The sole purpose of the bill is to is to protect family values, religion and the African culture and in turn kill the gays in Uganda. Nsaba Butoro the Minister of Ethics and integrity says that they have to protect their identity and uses that as his main tool of oppression New Vision one of Uganda's leading Newspaper quotes him:

Adamant Buturo
Ethics and integrity minister Dr. Nsaba Buturo has no kind words for Western countries regarding the issue of homosexuality. Addressing Christians during a recent Workplace Fellowships Network retreat at Parliament, Buturo last week, Buturo said: “If I told you how many foreign diplomats keep coming to me over the homosexuality Bill you would be shocked. But I keep telling them that the integrity of our country and our values are more important than their aid. We shall not allow those people from the Western to define our identity and destiny. In their countries Christ no longer matters. It is our responsibility to define our identity and defend it.”

A Zambian reverend, Reverend Kapya Kaoma has been discussing on how the homophobic attitudes in Africa are fueled by US groups exporting homophobia, Anengiyefa posts the meeting United Nations: Landmark Meeting Denounces Rights Abuse Based on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity:

The meeting included discussion of discriminatory and draconian “anti-homosexuality” legislation currently before the Ugandan parliament, and of the role of American religious groups in promoting repression across Africa. In a groundbreaking move, a representative of the Holy See in the audience read a statement strongly condemning the criminalisation of homosexual conduct […]Also at the panel discussion, the Reverend Kapya Kaoma, an Anglican priest from Zambia who is project director for Political Research Associates (PRA) in Massachusetts, presented the group's new report, Globalising the Culture Wars: U.S. Conservatives, African Churches, and Homophobia. Kaoma said that many anti-LGBT attitudes across Africa are fueled by US groups actively exporting homophobia. He called on US religious figures who have been promoting hatred and fear of homosexuality in Africa to denounce the Uganda bill unequivocally, and support the human rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Citing their moral responsibility to prevent violence, he also urged them to make such declarations in Africa, not just before US audiences.

The Gay Ugandan held a conversation with one of the legislators on his blog, Rt Honourable Benson Obua Ogwal. (UPC) Member of Parliament for Moroto. On a post called Conversation with a Ugandan Legislator:

Dear Anonymous Gay, And you think this will deter us? There are a very few aspects of the Bill that we can concede on like the Death Penalty and Extra-territorail Jurisdiction, but Gays won't have a field day in this country, try as the would. It is not about any of those Anti-Gya activists being attacked in the media. It is about Uganda. If only Gays could do it behind closed doors and not try to lure the innocent poor youth, it would be a different matter. But they are becoming bolder and bolder. Benson.

Hey Gay Pervert, How about this one coming from all religious leaders across board right here at home?: www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Church_leaders_back_govt_on_anti- gay_Bill_95758.shtml We love gays, but hate homosexuality which has no place here. Forget about the Bill being withdrawn, for it will be passed in due time. Benson. Hi Honourable MP, gug

Yes, I have noted the perjoratory term you have used.

Personally, I think it shows some very fine defects in your intellect. But, I cannot say so. I am the pervert, arent I?

You, sir, and all the ones you have copied this letter, are shaming my beautiful country. Yes, I am gay. and Ugandan. And, you are shaming my country, before the whole world.

Rick Warren has denied Ssempa, and come out against the Bill. So will the rest of the world. The Catholic Church is going to come out against the bill. And, you will continue calling me a pervert, dear honourable MP.

Dont think it takes much intelligence to work out who will be the dishonourable person and who will not.

Thanks for your nice comments, dear esteemed honourable

Follow the rest of the conversation and comments here.

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Shuga is a hard hitting 3-part drama series that follows the lives and loves of a group of cool young students whose bright lives and fabulous futures are balanced on a knife edge due to their love of risk and danger. It’s a story of love, sex, Friday nights and the indelible marks we leave on one another. Shuga tells the story of Ayira, a modern girl who knows exactly what she wants and what she’ll do to get it; but will her passion for an older man come at the expense of long term soul mate Ty? Running parallel is the Romeo and Juliet style love story of Virginia and Leo – while the two are destined to be together, will they be able to get past the obstacles that stand in their way? Shuga is based in Nairobi, Kenya; in the heart of East Africa.
Shuga explores the issues of sexual relationships among urban youth against a background of continuing HIV/AIDS infections. It examines the ramifications of sexual decisions on the lives of young people and their partners and loved ones. The drama format is a powerful medium to put across important lifestyle messages to educate and engage young people.

Story revolves around Ayira, a hungry ambitious girl who wants everything in life and nearly blows away a durable relationship by sleeping with an older man suspected to be HIV+ for a job. Shuga starts with a class being told to sell themselves  before a panel of judges for a job offer and Ayira offers a sultry innuendo that a judge finds sickening and she exclaims, “But sex sells.” “Sex sells cars, toothpaste…” On Rafiki Kenya blog:

We like Lupita Nyong'o, who plays Ayira, because she is a great main act, has lips to die for, and her sex scenes are oh so hot cool! Ayira is a beautiful, confident and vivacious 22-year-old, grade-A college student. Originally from Langata she now lives in Buru Buru with her mom and little sister. Her father left Ayira's mom for another woman six years ago - an act which deeply affected Ayira. She is now determined to get her mother and sister out of the financial strain her father left them in, and see a return to the comfortable life they once enjoyed. She has a steady, loving boyfriend called Ty, however Ayira is distrustful of men due to her father's behavior. She wants more and she wants it quickly. Her hunger and impatience for life clouds her judgment and sense of values.

Some theme on the movie:

“Hi ni story ya ma boys, in gear five,
Madem wa fly getting down with the music, feeling fly,
Furahi day nights, music vibes, sweat and sex in the air.
This is a story of true love, lust, broken trust,
It is the story of bright lives, entwining and colliding,
Hi ni story ya morning after, mabyebye baadayes,
Madoa sugu zimeachwa
So what do you do when the party catches up with you?
Has the ride been worth it?”

The youth are watching Shuga and that forces them take time to reflect on their life and where it  is heading to,  where it supposed to be. Shuga bridges the gap between lust and love and it has been said some youth have flocked the free VCT centers around town for HIV testing erected by the government this week. A blogger Lydia Njeri writes:

Shuga is not your everyday Kenyan drama series, it is one that will keep you glued to your screen, keep you entertained while at the same time get you thinking hard of how you’re living your life.

“At first I was just acting out my part, but it reached a point I stopped being Kenneth the actor and become Antony as it got me seriously thinking about my own life” Antony one of the main actors in the drama series commented.

The new drama series promises to keep you fascinated by the Confident, beautiful ladies, who are full of life, dress with a mission and love a life of partying and one night stands.

On the other hand the young energetic men will keep your head spinning with their swagger, flashy cars and the women in their lives.

The drama is filled with Kenyan artistes, singers, actors appealing to 18- 25 demographic that is obsessed with the music culture,  fashion addiction and lots of parting cutting across, while the same time talking about safe sex, abstinence and openness which has not been witnessed before. Shuga uses phrases like “Don't let your erection determine your direction!” , “Are you sleeping with anyone? Then there is no problem“” an excuse not to use a condom, “trying to be one of the boys” and  “you turn out negative then you start dropping your panties again”:

Shuga is generating quite a buzz in Kenya, the series actually seems to be quite appealing to the young urban middle and high classes. Shuga seems to challenge young people and is igniting a movement to change their sexual behaviour. It's educating, it's provocative, it's funny: “Don't let your erection determine your direction!” Kenyan youths are asking each other: “Who are you in Shuga?” It's amazing, young people have even gone for tests after seeing this movie. Others, who are not that interested in the sex aspects, are saying Kenya has actually great potential for a vibrant movie industry.

In the end they reclaim their lives back and take control but not telling the viewer what to do but to reflect first, on her blog Out and About Africa Brandie writes:

Well that curiosity is now being feed by the MTV Staying Alive Ignite three part series called shuga. Based in Nairobi, the show looks at young students in the city and the impact of their decisions. The Staying Alive campaign by MTV focuses on getting youth the information they need to make the right choices to help prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS (use this as a major hint about the theme of the series). The Kenyan series is one of three releases (the other two set in Trinidad and Tobago and the Ukraine) and I can tell you it was really well done! It totally doesn't feel like those after school specials from back in the day. Instead, MTV has gotten hot young actors and actresses, a good story line and loads of famous Kenyan musicians to cameo making sure that the youth of the nation (at least those with access to TV) will hear the message. Considering that it was the kids of my good friend in Kenya that even informed me about this, I think they are getting their message across.

On The Saturday Post Zambia:

The documentary addresses social and economic factors that contribute to the high HIV prevalence and new infection rates, particularly among young people, in Sub-Saharan Africa and the world.
“The film resonates with young people. The main aim is to increase knowledge and start a debate about HIV among young people so that they don't get infected. It aims to encourage behaviour change to prevent new infections. The secondary phase is to remind people that HIV is not a death sentence. People can live positively with HIV,” said Mary.

She added that Media 365 as campaign managers for Ignite - an MTV campaign that challenges young people to change their sexual behaviour - will embark on road shows as part of its activities.[…]

And Pepe Haze, who stars as Ty, said he believed abstinence till one marries was the only way to avoid HIV infection among youth.

Some comments about the series:

Shuga has changed me in a very huge way. Thanks

cant wait to finish download its seems amaizing….am looking forward to learn more about aids

wow, thats exatly what happens in real life..good stuff!

I loved the production, it really hit home for me as a young Kenyan and it has definitely impacted on how I live my life… I hope you can show it in schools somehow! Great movie! M

what a way to mark the world AIDS day! the point is driven in so loudly and accurately to miss its target. am so challenged by the reality and the impact the shuga series has on me. congrats, keep it going till every youth and old lives responsibly.

Shuga truly rocks its like a mirror shows exactly what happens amongst us youths…i learnt alot though not enough so am waiting for more of it

Lupita + Co. - you are doing Kenyans (esp. youth) proud by this production. It may even save lives! Kudos….

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Two Kenyan men on Saturday became the first gay couple to wed in London. Charles Ngengi, 40 and his bride, Daniel Chege Gichia, 39, became civil partners under the controversial Civil Partnership Act which came into effect in the UK in 2005 allowing couples of the same sex to have legal recognition of their relationship.
The couple tied the knot at a civil partnership ceremony at Islington Town Hall in North London at 11.30 a.m. UK time. According to the Act, a civil partnership is defined as a legal marriage between gay and lesbian couples, and any couples who enter into a civil partnership obtain the new legal status of civil partners, instead of the traditional husband and wife status.

Tamaku, a blogger on The Diary of a Gay Kenyan was the first to publish a post expressing his excitement in the transition Kenya is going through and the story hitting the stands:

I am overjoyed that a gay wedding of Kenyans in London has made the news of the national press. We wish the lucky couple all the best in this new chapter of their lives together. George and I are thinking of the same, to deepen our commitment to one another - even though these unions are not recognised here. It's early days yet but we are determined to have a ceremony to exchange rings and vows witnessed by close friends and family. I'll wear white of course, don't even think to mutter but Tamaku's been around the block a few times unless you are a nun yourself. lol!

We hope you'll accept our invitation when the time comes. Tonight we are just both so happy to raise a glass or two to the newlyweds.

Donn, a gay photo blogger says he knows and has heard of a lot of Kenyan gay couples legalizing their union and he is wondering what the outburst is for, he says gay couples have wed in different countries where gay marriage is legal:

The two gay men above, who got married in the UK last Saturday….was really an eye opener for many Kenyans.The news of the marriage was on the airwaves throughout the weekend…I am sure now every corner of this country knows about it…since it was a hot topic in almost every radio station.Well to me they are not the 1st…there are other many Kenyan gay couple i know who got married in Spain, Canada, South Africa, and UK as well, but the

Most bloggers were not happy with the way the story was handled, the journalists have been described as lopsided; hungry-for-story; fame, self benefit and monetary pay. The journalists tracked down the home of the family members of the newly wed and camped outside the compound waiting for a comment from the parents on what they think of their son marrying a man. The family have been tormented as visitors always coming to the homestead just to witness:

Everyone in Kenya is hungry for something, now adding to the pack is journalists, this people are hungry-for-story, they wait for the slightest twitch to hit their headlines. If you think Mohamed Ali from KTN was the only journalist in Murang'a waiting to interview the parents of the newly wed couple, you are wrong, he is not. Well, apparently journalists are actually camping outside his home town, is it Charles, the supposed “bride”, waiting to interview the mother on what she thinks about her son being in a sexual relationship with a man. They went with the wedding pictures to show the parents and the mother was shocked beyond words, she has gone mute, she doesn't talk or eat. The father is since drinking his life away and hasn't gone sober since, but he was heard saying he is waiting for the bride

According to the website misterseed, the newly wed had a telephone interview and they were not pleased in how the Kenya media have portrayed them, they feel journalists had crossed their boundaries, they ask why they had to drag the family into “this”, but they still still remain hopeful that the laws in Kenya are changing and they will have a second wedding back home:

Mr. Seed telephone conversation with Mr. Chege and Ngengi the gay couple who married in London on Saturday 17th October, 2009. “Good morning Ngengi, how are you doing.” Mr. Seed asked on Thursday afternoon (22nd October). “I am fine Mr. Seed although disappointed that the Kenyan media has gone beyond the limits by visiting our parents in Murang'a to interview them. We understand that the KTN and Nation screened the story on Wednesday evening. How can they visit our parents because of our case. The parents and family has nothing to do with our case. We have not committed murder. The law allows this in the UK. Tell them to concentrate on taking the killers to Hague than concentrating with us. We are innocent people. Furthermore we are on honeymoon and they should not try to spoil our honeymoon. You know what Mr. Seed, the law in Kenya is changing soon and we might even decide to go and do another wedding down there.” Mr. Ngengi concluded with a light touch while laughing.

Radio disc jockeys engaged listeners in the debate igniting the rage and callers called in to call the union unafrican, uncultured and sinful:

Interesting, today morning this was a topic of discussion at Kiss 100 and the guy hired to be a comedian a fake ass one said, ” unethical, unpalatable, uncouth and unafrican.” He went further to say that he would throw his brother from a fourth floor flat if he came out to him and said that he was gay. He also said that gays should be burnt. Really! gays have got no place, some callers went on to say not in our culture and again “unafrican” What's that? J

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The multiple laws that I will be breaking as soon as the president signs this law. Well, our detractors had already said that we would be stiffed with a tougher law, but this goes way beyond that. If I attempt to commit the offense… (god, the number of times that I have made passes and they have been rejected!) Each of those times was worth 7 years in jail. Good heavens!!!! Before, we could be liable to life imprisonment. gug hereby declares that, when the President of the Republic signs this law, gug will be liable to the death penalty… because I and my lover are serial offenders, breaking this law.

The bill further prohibits adoption by gay couples; any person who aids, promotes counsels any acts of homosexuality in any way will face up to seven years imprisonment, or risk a fine of sh100m. It states the ill effects of homosexuality as:

Research indicates that the homosexuality has a variety of negative consequences including higher incidences of violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and use of drugs. The higher incidence of separation and break-up in homosexual relationships also creates a highly unstable environment for children raised by homosexuals through adoption or otherwise, and can have profound psychological consequences on those children. In addition, the promotion of homosexual behavior undermines our traditional family values.

Given Uganda’s historical, legal, cultural and religious values which maintain that the family, based on marriage between a man and a woman is the basic unit of society. This Bill aims at strengthening the nation’s capacity to deal with emerging internal and external threats to the traditional heterosexual family. These threats include: redefining human rights to elevate homosexual and transgender behavior as legally protected categories of people.
There is also need to protect our children and youths who are made vulnerable to sexual abuse and deviation as a result of cultural changes, uncensored information technologies, parentless child developmental settings and increasing attempts by homosexuals to raise children in homosexual relationships through adoption, foster care, or otherwise.

Producers, publishers and distributors of material containing homosexuality especially if a business, an NGO will have its certificate or registration canceled and the director will face seven years in prison. That includes gay blogs in Uganda:

Poor sympathizers. You are not left to love us. No, all lovers of gays, and gays in Uganda will suffer, and be punished by this law. Any press conferences? Not by gay Ugandans. You see, we are a pariah people that will never be like all other Ugandans. Ha ha ha ha ha!
Oh, the gayuganda blog is one of the things which are illegal, as per that bill. I am furiously promoting homosexuality on this blog, complaining about a law like this. So, 5 years in prison, and my (non existent) bank balance will be set back by 100M Uganda shillings…! And the people who dare to give us condoms and lubricant for sex… Or, if you dare to have an HIV prevention program for homosexuals in Uganda… or even try to teach safer sex. Well, the penalties are stiff. Very stiff. Jail, and jail and other things.

Here are the objective of the bill.

3.1. The objectives of the Bill

The objectives of the Bill are:

(a) To protect marriage as that only between a man and a woman in Uganda;

(b) To prohibit homosexual behavior and related practices in Uganda as they constitute a threat to the traditional family;

(c) To safeguard the health of Ugandan citizens from the negative effects of homosexuality and related practices;

(d) To establish progressive legislation protective of the traditional family that can serve as a model for other countries;

(e) To prohibit ratification of any international treaties, conventions, protocols and declarations which are contrary or inconsistent with the provisions of this Act;

(f) To ensure that no international instruments to which Uganda is already a party can be interpreted or applied in Uganda in a way that was never intended at the time the document was created;

(e) To withdraw from any international agreements to which Uganda already is a party, or file reservations to them, which are re-interpreted to include protection for homosexual behavior, or that promote same-sex marriage, or that call for the promotion or teaching about homosexuality as being healthy, normal, or an acceptable lifestyle choice, or that seek to establish sexual behavior, sexual orientation, or gender identity, or sexual minorities as legally protected categories of people; and

(f) To prohibit Uganda from becoming a party to any new international instruments that expressly include protection for homosexual behavior; promote same-sex marriage; call for the promotion or teaching about homosexuality or homosexual relations as being healthy, normal, or an acceptable lifestyle choice; and/or seek to establish sexual behavior, sexual orientation, gender identity or sexual minorities as legally protected categories of people

Gay Ugandan is urging you to take this cause with him and asks you if he deserves to die because of this:

If you are outside the country, why, that is very good. Your congregation can be made aware of all the good things that some Christians in Uganda wish some sinners called gay Ugandans. I am sure your outrage will help. A letter, a protest match, questions to leaders of Uganda, religious and otherwise traveling outside the country. This is a moral question, how can they justify killing me because I am gay, living in a gay relationship with another gay man?

# Ok, what of gay people in other countries. You are our friends. Yes, we dare to ask our gay brothers and sisters for help, especially when our countrymates believe we should be patriotic enough to ‘die’ in the name of their moral uprightness, for god and country.
Tell your local gay group about it.
Organise protests, big and small. Educate any who doesnt know about it.
Write letters of protest. Be courteous, (the framer of the bill says that we homosexuals want to kill him. He says we have already written him ‘threatening’ letters.)

Afrogay another Ugandan blogger compares the Ugandan to the government to the Nazis, he says the time to flag down the bill is now:

Again, as I have argued here and elsewhere, we are best advised to keep our powder dry for the real battle if the bill is ever passed and signed into law. So, I for one don't plan on saying too much about the nuts and bolts of what is wrong with it. And the reason is simple: if we point out what is wrong with it now, our detractors will use what we say to clean up the bill. Best then to shout foul as loud as we can on the discriminatory elements of the bill without guiding them around the glaring technical, legal, constitutional and human rights minefield they are sleep-walking towards with this bill.

A Nigerian blogger Anengiyefa thinks the bill is flawed and the panel who made the bill are ignorant about homosexuality, He says homosexuality cannot be an offense, you cannot punish someone for having sexual feelings for another person:

Mr Bahati goes on to demand the death penalty for what he calls “aggravated homosexuality”. I read this and I wondered if the said Mr Bahati has ever had the opportunity to sit inside a classroom in his life, given that unless he is starkly illiterate, he ought to know that there are no law books in any Common Law jurisdiction, (including Uganda), that refer to an offense known as ‘homosexuality'. Homosexuality cannot be an offense! You cannot make it an offense and punish a person for having feelings of sexual and emotional attraction towards others of the same gender. You cannot prove ‘homosexuality' in a court of law to the standard of proof that is required in a criminal court.

Anengiyefa sees that Uganda has just seen hypocrisy of MPs who have unified and are ready to pass a law victimizing homosexuality in the name of morality: this beats the purpose why the system is so anxious to criminalize consensual sex amongst two adults of the same gender and omitting important issues like ethnic violence, tribalism, AIDS, child rape etc:

This outbreak of frenzied homophobia is the epitome of the hypocrisy that pervades political life in Africa. At a time when expensive legislative time should be judiciously expended on the issues that really matter to the people of the country; when Ugandan lawmakers and the Ugandan government should be concerned about the welfare of vulnerable Ugandans, (including those same-gender loving men and women in their society, who are susceptible to wanton physical abuse and discrimination); when the Ugandan authorities should be looking to protect those of the country's citizens whose welfare is their responsibility; when the challenges that face our continent in this 21st Century are enormous; what we hear of instead is an Anti-Homosexuality Bill being introduced to Parliament. This bill is deemed necessary according to the MP David Bahati who introduced it. He claims that the purpose of the bill is to protect children and the “traditional family”.

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