Uganda: Don’t see good news in latest election results
Although voters ousted 3 anti-gay politicians, Uganda remains deeply homophobic.
In response to the recent article “Uganda: Voters reject anti-LGBTQI+ lawmakers”, Melanie Nathan, executive director of the African Human Rights Coalition, submitted this comment:
As a country conditions expert witness reporter, I must clarify so that there is no confusion by anyone seeking to portray Uganda’s anti-homosexuality climate as improving. It is not! .
These 3 candidates did not lose the election because of their ongoing support and votes for the [Anti-Homosexuality Act of] 2023. Although they had key roles – that is absolutely NOT the reason they were not re-elected and although this article does not say that – we must be careful not to allow the implication that there may have been a backlash against them on that basis.
So it needs to be clearly stated: One example is [David] Bahati, who I have had numerous discussions with – and indeed he is a vehement homophobe. I believe he was ousted because he lost the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primary to his challenger, Eliab Naturinda Mporeera.
The party is still pro AHA 2023. After failing to secure the party flag, he ran as an independent candidate, which in Uganda’s dominant-party politics is usually politically fatal.
In the general election, the official NRM candidate won handily, and Bahati’s independent bid received a fraction of the votes.
Reporters and analysts characterized his defeat as part of a broader rejection of incumbents and a signal that voters were seeking change and new representation, not because of any specific issue vote such as the anti-homosexuality bill.
A lot of rejections came because of issues such as corruption and delivery failures. There is much more to be said about the analysis of losses.
Also we cannot forget that opposition leaders do not believe [President Yoweri] Museveni won a free and clear election.
Homophobes in Ghana and Turkiye keep pushing for anti-LGBTQ laws