Rights activists condemn Ugandan minister’s homophobic post

‘Homosexuality is not African,’ says Uganda health minister

Uganda’s Minister for Health Chris Baryomunsi has been widely condemned by Ugandan human rights activists for his homophobic post on X (former Twitter) in which he claimed that “homosexuality is not African.”

“While appearing on a panel discussion in a side event on the sidelines of the ongoing UNGA in New York, a moderator asked me how we ensure homosexuals in Uganda are not discriminated while accessing healthcare since we have a law on LGBTQIA. I assured the audience, which was largely white, that our law just confirms African belief, tradition, custom, ethics and culture; that homosexuality is not African. It is just a learnt behaviour, which we detest. That notwithstanding, Uganda does not discriminate homosexuals while receiving all kinds of services including health care. Uganda uses the principle of Jesus; He hated sin but embraced sinners,” Baryomunsi posted on his X account on Sept 23.

Baryomunsi’s comments immediately drew condemnation from LGBTQI+ human rights defenders and members of the public.

Former lawmaker Fox Odoi-Onywelowo, who had advocated for LGBTQI rights, asked the minister to desist from using hate speech against LGBTQI+ persons. Fox Odoi is the only high profile member of the ruling party who openly advocates for LGBTQI+ persons’ rights and who voted against the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) 2023).

“Dr. Chris, Homosexuality is African. Homosexuality is human. I didn’t expect you to defend the most oppressive and anti-rights legislation. Can I tell you what is not African? Homophobia and transphobia. I implore you to go back to your choice of words. ‘Detest,’ ‘Hate,'” Odoi-Onywelowo wrote on X.

Mr. Shibolo Awali Sean, a team leader at The Robust Initiative for Promoting Human Rights (Triumph Uganda), described the Minister’s post as illogical.

“Theology, history, and lived realities aren’t everyone’s area of expertise. That’s why it saves one from embarrassment to refer particular opinions to people grounded in the respective disciplines or those who live the realities to make contextual clarifications,” Shibolo posted on X.

Hillary Taylor, a US-based Ugandan human rights activist and political scientist, described the minister’s post as ‘nonsense.’

“What a global embarrassment at #UNGA,” he wrote on X.

In other responses, many Ugandans asked why Ugandan ruling party politicians are obsessed with homosexuality while others wondered how a community of people who the minister of health detests can access health care freely.

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“We all appreciate any steps towards giving everyone equal access to healthcare. However if there is a segment of Ugandans that u ‘detest’ how can you state that they won’t face discrimination? Once u have labelled people with stigma they will carry that into the clinic as well,” wrote Ssebandeke Dullaart, founder and executive director of the Etunganun Impact Initiative, in a post on X.

This is not the first time Mr. Baryomunsi has made homophobic remarks. He made similar remarks at the first Africa Interparliamentary Conference on Family Values and Sovereignty in April 2023.

“I am a medical doctor by training. Homosexuality is not natural, it is not right that someone should argue that they were born a homosexual and there is nothing I can do about it. A lot of studies have been done and there is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that homosexuality is as a result of genetic predisposition, rather evidence indicates it is a behaviour which is learnt and can be unlearnt,” he stated without sharing the evidence to prove his claims.

Anita Among was previously the dominant face of homophobia in Uganda because of her repeated attacks on the LGBTQI+ community and its allies. Her fall from grace and fame as well as the defeat of some of her key allies in the parliamentary elections brought some quiet and some sigh of relief in the SOGIE community.

Some analysts believe that Baryomunsi is assuming the leadership of the anti-LGBTQI+ movement within Uganda’s ruling party, after the former speaker of parliament, Anita Among, lost her leadership position amid corruption and money laundering allegations. She continues to serve a member of parliament.