Uganda LGBTI activist honored by Canadian refugee organization
Despite a brutal attack in Uganda, Stephen Kabuye didn’t stop fighting for LGBT rights
Steven Kabuye, a Ugandan LGBTQI+ rights activist who survived a deadly homophobic attack in January, has been honored with the Rev. Troy Perry Medal of Pride from Canadian refugee assistance organization Rainbow Railroad.
The violent knife attack by two yet-to-be-identified assailants left him with serious body injuries and scars that he says will never leave his body. The incident brought international attention to the widespread violence against the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda in the wake of the passage of the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023.
The award was presented August 1 by Latoya Nugent, Rainbow Railroad’s head of engagement, in recognition of his resilience, courage, and advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, symbolizing valor, strength, and heroism.
“I’m deeply honored and humbled to carry the #WeAreNotAfraidAnymore resilience forward. This is a symbol of valour, strength and heroism, and as a Ugandan whose rights are undermined and intimidated, I continue to speak up and demand for my own rights,” Kabuye posted on his X account (formerly Twitter) after receiving the award.
Kabuye refused to let fear win. In an interview with Canadian media, he said that the incident scared him, but most importantly strengthened his resolve to make a difference in the lives of others, especially individuals whose rights are used as a bargaining chip to get or retain power in a country like Uganda.
Kabuye says life was hard, but it became more dangerous with the state-sponsored homophobia that came along with the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
“Many Ugandans feel like they were given a mandate to kill and torture LGBTQI+ people under the law,” Kabuye says.
Faced with increasing stigma and threats of violence, Kabuye fled to Canada in March. With support from Rainbow Railroad, a global non-profit that helps at-risk LGBTQI+ people worldwide get to safety, he now calls Vancouver, Canada his new home.
“Rainbow Railroad helped me relocate to Canada, provided financial support and connected me to other organizations to assist with permanent settlement here in Canada,” he says. “I’m settling in nice and good in Canada. I’m going to continue my advocacy work to make sure every LGBTQI+ Ugandan tastes freedom and equality. If the opportunity arises, I also plan to continue my education as I settle into my new home.”
Rainbow Railroad says it has seen a 49 per cent increase in requests for assistance from Ugandans in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period last year, and that Uganda has become one of the top countries from which the non-profit receives requests for help.
“We have been sacrificed so the politicians and the corrupt can thrive. Our freedom is being held ransom for the 2026 vote. And just like that, we are human beings with no human rights in our own country. We must resort to sustainable and tactful approaches to rise above it all, including empowering ourselves in all ways possible. This way, we can get a seat at the table and stop being part of the menu,” Kabuye says.
Kabuye says his relocation to Canada will not affect his role as executive director of the youth-led organization Coloured Voices Media Foundation, which advocates for and promotes the human rights, health and socio-economic well-being of LGBTQI+ youth in Uganda and across the African continent.
“The anti-gay campaign has capitalized on using media, so we have decided to give them a taste of their own medicine by using media to undo the smear campaign and refute the lies about being homosexual. Through this campaign, we’re rallying a strong digital army of passionate LGBTQI+ allies and activists to counter the anti-gay propaganda. We refuse to be silenced. We are standing our ground and demanding our human rights, just like any other Ugandan.”
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