Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, aka Bobi Wine, the leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, has finally come out to declare his full support and position to the new passed Anti-Homosexuality law.
Bobi Wine said the country should not focus on homosexuals but rather handle other issues that seem important adding that homosexuals are also human beings whose rights need to be respected. He said that instead of leaders focusing their attention on homosexuality, they should free all political prisoners.
According to Bobi Wine, tabling and passing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill 2023 while ignoring other human rights issues is ridiculous and intolerable.
He regarded Parliament as hypocritical because it is leaving out more pressing issues that need attention, citing freeing political prisoners and Karamoja relief items.
“In 2013, our Parliament called the Anti-Homosexuality Bill a Christmas gift. Now they’re calling it an Easter gift! This is totally unacceptable because it infringes on other people’s rights and freedoms. As a matter of fact, it is an abuse of human rights. The true gift is to free all political prisoners, and the focus should be shifted to prosecuting those stealing from the poor and putting an end to military rule,” Bobi Wine said.
Bobi Wine had previously remained tight-lipped whenever people asked him about his position on homosexuality for fear of losing support, but at the same time, he has received funds from gay funders. It was not until last week, after receiving a lot of pressure from his fellow NUP leaders and supporters, that he declared his full support for homosexuality.
Recently, after Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, Bobi Wine came out and attacked the legislatures for passing the same, saying that they were invading other people and denying them their rights, which violated human rights. She acknowledged that there were a lot of human rights violations that were not being handled.
Uganda has been battling with homosexuality because it was spreading to the children and the young generation in schools. This became an enormous issue of concern and was on the lips of many Ugandans. The outcry from parents and other concerned parties drew the attention of legislatures, which in turn tabled and passed the bill.
