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11 May 2011 17:56

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World: Uganda’s anti-gay bill may be moving forward soon

  • Uganda’s anti-gay bill still exists, everyone: The legislation, authored by MP David Bahati, originally imposed the death penalty for people found guilty of “serial” homosexuality (it’s been reported that this penalty has now been removed from the bill), as well as prison sentences for first-time offenders, and heterosexuals who know of a gay person but don’t report it (presumably still in full swing). It’s self-evidently vile, evil, and has no place whatsoever in a civil society. There were reports last night that officials would vote on the bill today, but it’s not on the docket; the AP is reporting that the bill may come up for debate on Friday. source
  • The political connection David Bahati is a member of “The Family,” (though he was dis-invited from their last National Prayer Breakfast, a D.C. staple) a secretive religious brotherhood which counts many U.S. politicians as members — Republican Senators Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint, and Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, for a few high-profile examples.
  • Living in Bahati’s world David Bahati had claimed that he would remove the death penalty from the bill, and it’s been alleged that’s happened. Don’t presume a change of heart, though. Journalist Jeff Sharlet, who authored two exceptional books about “The Family,” claims Bahati told him his true ideal very plainly: “to kill every last gay person.”
  • The climate in Uganda Uganda is a pretty harrowing place for gays. Homophobia is rampant throughout Uganda, often hinged on wild, sinister claims about homosexuals stealing away children. It was in this climate that Uganda’s only prominent gay activist, David Kato, was brutally murdered with a hammer in his home, earlier this year. source

16 Apr 2011 17:25

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World: “Walk to Work”: Did Uganda shut off Twitter & Facebook?

  • No, no, it is not us; it seems it is the government that has blocked the service. Even us, we are crying like you.
  • A Warid telecom engineer in Uganda • Expressing frustration that Facebook and Twitter reportedly no longer working in the country. The report — which would be the second bout of social media downtime the country has faced in the past few months — suggests a degree of par-for-the-course suppression as Ugandan citizens plan a “walk to work” protest for Monday, to fight against quickly-increasing food prices. Which, by the way, has been a root cause of much of the unrest throughout northern Africa of late. (hat tip John Ness) source

20 Feb 2011 11:03

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World: Ugandan election results favor dude already in office for 25 years

  • 68% the share of votes Yoweri Museveni, in office 25 years, got in Uganda
  • 26% the share of votes his closest rival, Kizza Besigye, received
  • 6% the share of votes everyone else received in the election source
  • » The opposition says it’s “illegitimate”: Besigye’s Inter-Party Cooperation is one of a couple of groups who have thrown up question marks about the electoral results. European Union observers, for example, say the elections are “marred by avoidable and logistical failures, which led to an unacceptable number of Ugandan citizens being disenfranchised.” A group of African-based election observers gave a statement claiming, however, that the election was “conducted in conformity with minimum international benchmarks for free elections.” Hopefully this doesn’t turn into the kind of mess that has marred the Ivory Coast over the last few months.

16 Feb 2011 14:03

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World: Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni plays the robocall game

  • This is Y.K. Museveni. I greet you. Vote for the old man with a hat.
  • Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni • In a phone call to potential voters. With elections looming on Friday, the longtime President’s voice was racing across phone lines everywhere as robocalls, unheard of in African politics, went out to the Ugandan citizenry, referencing his iconic hat. A win Friday would mean his fourth term in office (with no limits), amidst concerns about repression of democratic opposition. Of additional note, as it’s probably what Uganda is most known for internationally right now, the American evangelical group “The Family,” heinously tied to Uganda’s anti-gay (seriously) legislation, is led by a man named Doug Coe. As reported by Jeff Sharlet, Coe has referred to President Museveni as the group’s “key man in Africa.” Take that for what you will. source

03 Feb 2011 13:02

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U.S.: Obama gives speech to the National Prayer Breakfast… but why?

  • event The National Prayer Breakfast, an annual event in Washington D.C. boasting thousands of attendees, some foreign dignitaries and officials. The NPB is organized by “The Family,” also known as “The Fellowship.”
  • reality “The Family” is a Christian group with U.S. politicians as members, and included Ugandan MP David Bahati while he authored religion-inspired legislation to execute or imprison “serial” homosexuals.
  • awkwardPresident Obama gave a speech today to a group that considered David Bahati a friend, and hasn’t publicly or vehemently denounced his proposed law, which legalizes grave crimes against humanity.  source

28 Jan 2011 15:10

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World: Ugandan gay activist David Kato’s funeral marred by anti-gay pastor

  • Here’s what this Anglican pastor Thomas Musoke had to say: “The world has gone crazy. People are turning away from the scriptures. They should turn back, they should abandon what they are doing. You cannot start admiring a fellow man.” Hey, Mr. Musoke, this is a GAY MAN WHO WAS KILLED BECAUSE OF ANTI-GAY BIGOTRY. AND YOU HAVE THIS TO SAY AT HIS FUNERAL?!?!? This world is a disgrace sometimes, and we’re not sure we even want to be on the same planet as people such as these. David Kato was the gay activist beaten to death Wednesday, which we noted in an article that shocked many on Tumblrsource

27 Jan 2011 12:38

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World: Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato beaten, killed in home

  • A sad day for human rights: Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato was found beaten to death in his home yesterday. His picture recently appeared on a Ugandan magazine next to the words “hang them,” a byproduct of a violent, anti-gay political climate fostered by David Bahati’s disgusting homosexuality legislation, which prescribes the death penalty for “serial offenders.” Bahati is a member of the potent U.S. Evangelical group “The Family,” home to many American politicos, so don’t expect this story to go away too easily. We hope like hell it won’t. source
 

12 Jul 2010 10:17

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World: Uganda’s World Cup excitement shattered by deadly blasts

  • If you want to fight, why don’t you attack soldiers or military installations instead of fighting innocent people watching football?
  • Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni • On the attacks that killed at least 74 people, including one American. One of the attacks – which had multiple blasts – occurred in the capitol, Kampala, while people were watching the World Cup final yesterday on a big-screen TV at a rugby center. The other took place 50 minutes earlier in a popular restaurant district. Another 71 were hospitalized in the attacks. source

18 Apr 2010 11:46

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World: This fresh-faced Ugandan kid has way more power than you do

King Oyo, who just turned 18, is now on his own to lead Uganda’s Tooro kingdom. He’s been running it with advisers since his dad died in 1995 – when he was three. source