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Above photes:
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The NTV tower. Nairobi,
Kenya
Bottom Picture
Steve at the lap top
Nairobi, Kenya
July, 2007
Top Picture
The NTV tower. Nairobi,
Kenya
Bottom Picture
Steve at the lap top
Nairobi, Kenya
July, 2007
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NEWS
Rally dencounces homosexuals
Publication: The Monitor (Kampala, Uganda)
Publication date: August 22, 2007
By Katherine Roubos
KAMPALA. ABOUT 100 people gathered on the grounds of
Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala yesterday to rally against
homosexuality. Members of the Interfaith Rainbow Coalition
Against Homosexuality delivered a document to Minister of Ethics
and Integrity Nsaba Buturo, calling for stronger government action
against what Pastor Martin Ssempa described as "a
well-orchestrated effort by homosexuals to intimidate the
government".
Born-again Pastor Ssempa of Makerere University Community
Church was the key organiser of the event.
The rally was convened in response to a news conference held
last week by Sexual Minorities Uganda at which gay, lesbian, and
transgender Ugandans asked the government to let them live in
peace.
Gays have reported various forms of harassment, especially from
the police.
Placards with a variety of slogans ranging from "God hates
Homosexuality, He loves Homos", to "Government Fight
Homosexuals and Lesbians", "Homosexuality causes Aids", and
even "Homosexuals are not ready for Chogm" were pasted along
the fence outside the demonstration venue.
Inside, protestors chanted and shouted similar slogans to each
other and spoke to the swarming media. The rally was originally
planned as a march from Wandegeya to the rugby grounds, but
police denied the protesters permission, saying they could not
organise sufficient security for the march at short notice. Pastor
Ssempa said he convened the protest to urge more government
officials to speak out against homosexuality.
He condemned outside pressure from Canada and the
Netherlands to change Ugandan laws or increase rights for
homosexuals, calling it an "imposition of Western values".
At the rally, Pastor Ssempa warned protesters that every empire in
history fell after homosexuality emerged in its culture.
However, he regularly argues that homosexuality is a recent
phenomenon with no historical roots. He did not comment on this
inconsistency. Homosexuality is generally frowned upon in Uganda
and is illegal. Minister Buturo, who is a born-again Christian and is
actively opposed to homosexuality, came to show his support at
the rally.
"Must press freedom be used to subvert one of our cardinal
founding laws?" the minister said in reference to the recent string
of articles published on homosexuality.
The Interfaith Rainbow Coalition document delivered to Dr Buturo
declares that homosexuality breaks three laws at once: it is against
the law of God, the law of nature, and the law of the land.
The document claims that "the majority of Ugandans consider
homosexuality culturally repugnant and hostile to civilised society,
equity, morality, and the dignity of human nature".
Former Anglican Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo said he supported
everyone's right to publicly voice concerns, but felt that the
language used at the rally was inappropriately threatening.
"Their use of threatening language is very un-Christian," said
Bishop Ssenyonjo, who has ministered to gays. "We are no longer
in the era of 'an eye for an eye.' The Lord taught us to respect
each person, however different, as full human beings."
On Aids and homosexuality, Dr Paul Semugoma said that "Aids is
not a homosexual disease, but homophobia keeps gays from
seeking health services, which hurts everyone".
He rejected the idea that homosexuality causes HIV/Aids. He said
that Aids treatment programmes should provide outreach
specifically to homosexuals.
Said Dr Semugoma: "Are we saying that Uganda has the most
homosexuals in Africa because our HIV/Aids rate used to be one of
the highest in the world? No!"
Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Fred Ruhindi has denied
reports that he had ordered the arrest of homosexuals as some
FM radio stations were reporting in Kampala yesterday afternoon.
"I said the law says [homosexuality] is an offence, but the power to
arrest is with the police," Mr Ruhindi said, adding that "if anyone
wishes to have a different position on the law, they can go through
the normal legal channels to pass an amendment."
Rally dencounces homosexuals
Publication: The Monitor (Kampala, Uganda)
Publication date: August 22, 2007
By Katherine Roubos
KAMPALA. ABOUT 100 people gathered on the grounds of
Kyadondo Rugby Club in Kampala yesterday to rally against
homosexuality. Members of the Interfaith Rainbow Coalition
Against Homosexuality delivered a document to Minister of Ethics
and Integrity Nsaba Buturo, calling for stronger government action
against what Pastor Martin Ssempa described as "a
well-orchestrated effort by homosexuals to intimidate the
government".
Born-again Pastor Ssempa of Makerere University Community
Church was the key organiser of the event.
The rally was convened in response to a news conference held
last week by Sexual Minorities Uganda at which gay, lesbian, and
transgender Ugandans asked the government to let them live in
peace.
Gays have reported various forms of harassment, especially from
the police.
Placards with a variety of slogans ranging from "God hates
Homosexuality, He loves Homos", to "Government Fight
Homosexuals and Lesbians", "Homosexuality causes Aids", and
even "Homosexuals are not ready for Chogm" were pasted along
the fence outside the demonstration venue.
Inside, protestors chanted and shouted similar slogans to each
other and spoke to the swarming media. The rally was originally
planned as a march from Wandegeya to the rugby grounds, but
police denied the protesters permission, saying they could not
organise sufficient security for the march at short notice. Pastor
Ssempa said he convened the protest to urge more government
officials to speak out against homosexuality.
He condemned outside pressure from Canada and the
Netherlands to change Ugandan laws or increase rights for
homosexuals, calling it an "imposition of Western values".
At the rally, Pastor Ssempa warned protesters that every empire in
history fell after homosexuality emerged in its culture.
However, he regularly argues that homosexuality is a recent
phenomenon with no historical roots. He did not comment on this
inconsistency. Homosexuality is generally frowned upon in Uganda
and is illegal. Minister Buturo, who is a born-again Christian and is
actively opposed to homosexuality, came to show his support at
the rally.
"Must press freedom be used to subvert one of our cardinal
founding laws?" the minister said in reference to the recent string
of articles published on homosexuality.
The Interfaith Rainbow Coalition document delivered to Dr Buturo
declares that homosexuality breaks three laws at once: it is against
the law of God, the law of nature, and the law of the land.
The document claims that "the majority of Ugandans consider
homosexuality culturally repugnant and hostile to civilised society,
equity, morality, and the dignity of human nature".
Former Anglican Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo said he supported
everyone's right to publicly voice concerns, but felt that the
language used at the rally was inappropriately threatening.
"Their use of threatening language is very un-Christian," said
Bishop Ssenyonjo, who has ministered to gays. "We are no longer
in the era of 'an eye for an eye.' The Lord taught us to respect
each person, however different, as full human beings."
On Aids and homosexuality, Dr Paul Semugoma said that "Aids is
not a homosexual disease, but homophobia keeps gays from
seeking health services, which hurts everyone".
He rejected the idea that homosexuality causes HIV/Aids. He said
that Aids treatment programmes should provide outreach
specifically to homosexuals.
Said Dr Semugoma: "Are we saying that Uganda has the most
homosexuals in Africa because our HIV/Aids rate used to be one of
the highest in the world? No!"
Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Fred Ruhindi has denied
reports that he had ordered the arrest of homosexuals as some
FM radio stations were reporting in Kampala yesterday afternoon.
"I said the law says [homosexuality] is an offence, but the power to
arrest is with the police," Mr Ruhindi said, adding that "if anyone
wishes to have a different position on the law, they can go through
the normal legal channels to pass an amendment."