President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has warned UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima against fronting homosexuality as if the act is being appreciated here in Uganda.
A visibly angry Museveni told Byanyima, wife to opposition leader Kizza Besigye in a closed door meeting that, the advocators of the vice shouldn’t provoke majority of Ugandans.
The President maintained his strong stance on homosexuality.
Museveni would later emerge out of the meeting and still emphasized his point on gays while presiding over the swearing in of newly appointed judges.
Museveni then carefully discussed the subject of homosexuality referencing on the fact that gay sex remains criminalized in Uganda, a status quo he disclosed many in the western capitals are very uncomfortable with and have continued reaching out to him pushing for decriminalization.
“In fact, I have just been discussing with someone before I came here to join you. The discussion was why homosexuality is still an offence in Uganda yet some of our partners consider it to be the alternative way of life.
I was telling Honorable Winnie Byanyima we have been careful and never in a hurry to amend that law because for us we are social actors and we act for social political aims. Some people are saying let’s amend that law [criminalizing homosexuality] and decriminalize it. But our position is that homosexuality has always been here and that’s why we have words like ebisiyaga in Luganda. The homosexuals were always known and weren’t hunted. They were ignored. They were very few,” said Museveni.
The UNAIDS boss while accepting instruments of office late last year said she would fight for vulnerable groups in her bid to combat HIV/AIDS.
