‘Leave people the way they are’ - Malema warns Museveni to drop anti-gay bill

About 200 EFF supporters joined the picket outside the Ugandan High Commission in Tshwane, to call on the Ugandan government to reverse the decision that criminalises homosexuality, making it punishable by death. 

Last month, Ugandan lawmakers adopted the controversial bill that would see members of the queer community, and their families, subjected to persecution over their sexuality.  

Malema called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni not sign the controversial bill into law.  

“You can hear there’s barbarism, there’s stupidity in that bill. And if Museveni knows what’s good for him, he must not sign it into law. Already we have problems with Museveni according to how he treats political opponents in Uganda.” 

Malema described the bill as anti-human, as it blatantly violates the right to life, dignity, and freedom of association.  

“We can’t allow any regime to kill people on the basis of identity. We are the victims of identity politics – we were killed because we are black, and the only crime we committed was being black. 

"Today, all those who are being killed in Uganda are because they are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. They get killed because you woke up one day and you don’t like them.” 

He compared it to the injustice of apartheid that was based on hatred. 

“How are you going to identify that a person is gay? What scientific method are you going to identify that she’s lesbian? All you are going to do is to look at a person out of hatred. So, we are saying to Museveni, leave the people the way they are.”

At the same time, Ugandan photojournalist and activist Papa De accused the Ugandan government of weaponising religion to advance homophobia. 

They called on world leaders to put pressure on President Museveni not to ratify the homophobic bill, warning that their continued silence will allow the inhumane practice to spread across the continent. 

“You are silent on an organised religious anti-human rights movement that calls for genocide of an already marginalised group. The ripple effect of this hate is not only impacting queer Ugandans, but we are witnessing waves of ignorance and homophobic hate crimes through Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, Congo, Zimbabwe, and even South Africa.” 

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Papa De says their family is already in danger after neighbours approached their mother, accusing them of promoting sexuality through their work.  

Museveni has 30 days, from the passage of the bill on 21 March, to sign it into law.