Uganda musician Papa Cidy comes out: ‘Tired of hiding’
In the U.K., Papa Cidy says he won’t go back to Uganda due to Anti-Homosexuality Act
Ugandan musician, songwriter and costume designer Papa Cidy, born Hamidu Sekyeru, has gone public about his sexual orientation, revealing that he is gay.
Papa Cidy, who is currently living in the United Kingdom, made the revelation in a Facebook post and later in a TikTok livestream with a social media influencer Peng Peng.
“Am tired of hiding myself, it’s time to be out. Pastor Kayanja ‘ebyaffe obimanyi’ (you know our things) Miracle Center Cathedral,” the 38-year-old singer wrote, adding the rainbow flag emoji at the end.
It is not clear why Papa Cidy tagged Pastor Robert Kayanja of the Miracle Center Cathedral in his post. The born-again cleric has been accused by his fellow pastors of “sodomizing young men,” which he has consistently denied.
The post also contained a photo of him (seen below) with a person he referred to as “hubby” in the TikTok live stream.
Papa Cidy ruled out returning to Uganda any time soon, citing the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposes severe penalties on gay sex, queer expression, and LGBT advocacy. The act has been denounced by human rights groups and international organizations.
He said that in the UK, he living his true life without fear of being targeted or discriminated against in any way.
“My partner takes good care of me, and as you may be aware, now there is a law in Uganda. I don’t want to be ‘put on ropes’ [meaning imprisoned] under the discriminatory law and I am not ready for the stigma that comes with being gay in Uganda,” Papa Cidy explained.
The draconian anti-gay low drove many LGBTQI+ persons underground, with many trying to leave the country in order to escape increasing homophobic attacks. These have included physical and verbal assaults by both state operatives and homophobic elements within communities.
While in Uganda, Papa Cidy says that he kept his sexuality a secret even from his closest friends. He said he did that for safety reasons and also to protect his music career, which he says would have ended if he had gone public about his sexuality.
Papa Cidy revealed that from his childhood, he was never sexually attracted to girls. His friends could ask him why he was different, but he kept eluding them because he was not ready for what would come next.
“My friends used to go out with girls, but it was not my thing at all. It used to hurt me. I felt like a prisoner or someone living in denial,” he said.
Papa Cidy started his music career with Leone Island in 2009, a music label founded by Jose Chameleone, a popular Ugandan musician. He had previously recorded the single “Tolina Kisa (You Have No Mercy)”. When Chameleone listened to it, he took him in and recorded the song together. The song became Papa Cidy’s big breakthrough.
Apart from his collaborations with Chameleone, Cidy has released the singles “Your Name,” “Ba Mugumu (Be Strong),” “Akazinga (Island),” and “Evalina,” among others.
In 2022, Papa Cidy joined Sage Music, an Australian artist management service. The African branch of Sage is based in Kigali, Rwanda, and looks after a variety of East African artists. Under Sage Music, Papa Cidy reached platforms and audiences he had not reached before. He became a designer and launched a clothing line called “BAKNA,” which made apparel for celebrities.
