Peacefully, LGBTI Ugandans celebrate 4th annual Pride

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

"We Are Family" was the theme of Uganda Pride 2015. (Photo courtesy of Facebook) — “We Are Family” was the theme of Uganda Pride 2015. (Photo courtesy of Facebook)

ENTEBBE, UGANDA— Uganda’s fourth annual gay pride parade took place Saturday in Entebbe, a risky venture in a country with a history of prosecuting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Ugandans, but many now say they are finding their voice.

Saturday’s celebrations on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe were a lighthearted affair. Prominent members of the gay community were there and assured other participants police would offer protection.

In another sign that Uganda’s LGBT members are taking steps out into the open, events were also held in Kampala this year, including choosing a Mr. and Ms. Pride.

The Kuchu Times, an African LGBT media house that originated in Uganda and has members throughout East Africa, covered events.

Ambrose Barigye, media field officer for the organization, said, “Most of the times the Ugandan media has reported negatively about the Ugandan LGBT movement. … We so had a need to reclaim the media and tell our own stories. … So we call it Reclaiming the Media Project. … We tell the world this is who we are, these are the real stories. Nobody coming and telling the wrong story about us. …

Phiona Adebayo, a transgender man who won the title of Mr. Pride this year, said he believes, in time, things will change.

“I came out to show the world, to show Uganda that we are here to stay and we shall stay. Because we are born Ugandans and we should not go for asylum in other countries. This is our home country,” Adebayo said.

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Participants say each year the Pride Parade has become bolder, taking longer routes and growing louder. They hope that one day it will no longer take place in Entebbe’s Botanical Gardens but on the streets of Kampala.

For more information, read the full article, “Uganda Celebrates Fourth Annual Pride Parade.”