Brody's Scribbles... Ugandan Insider Says Input is Needed NOW on Kill the Gays Bill

By Kathy Baldock (Reno, Nevada) MAR 23 | I have blogged many times about the urgency of the situation in Uganda for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community. The Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) or the “Kill the Gays” Bill has been debated in the public arena since October 2009. An insider source in the Ugandan Parliament has risked safety to get important information to foreigners to help stop the bill from making it to a vote.

The lame duck 8th Parliament of Uganda is seated until the end of May 2011; if the bill does not come to the floor for a vote, it dies with the new Parliamentary session in June. David Bahati, the author of the AHB bill, is determined to get this bill to the floor for a vote before the end of May. He has voiced that he does not care about the threat from the United States to cut financial aid to Uganda; he is intent on getting this bill passed and says:

In my opinion, the future of our children is more important than the money we get from abroad, and the interests of Uganda are more important than the interests of foreigners. We are a sovereign state, and nobody should dictate the values we should adopt in our country.

There is one last way to STOP the bill from getting to the vote. The bill is currently in review in the Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Committee to the Ugandan Parliament. The chair of that committee is Hon. Stephen Tashobya. In this news report , Tashobya says he:

“shall put out public notices for all types of people, for even foreigners, let’s have a ( cannot understand him here, sorry) to come and appear before the committee and have this matter resolved once and for all.”

Although, retired Ethics and Integrity Minister James Nsaba Buturo, one of the bill’s strongest supporters, lost his re-election bid in February he is behind the scenes secretly pushing for the bill to come to the Parliament floor for a vote before June.

An insider in the Ugandan Parliament has risked safety and sent the following letter to a friend of mine:

Please, you need to get down on your knees and pray that this new development does not proceed. In a drastic twist of things, it looks like the resigned minister (Buturo) is making underground moves to have the Bahati Bill expeditiously debated with plans to have it passed into law before the tenure of the 8th Parliament comes to an end. His team seems to be using the Legal Committee to press for its debate. Today, I overheard that the Chairman of this committee, Hon. Stephen Tashobya talking about with this new development.

I suggest that you send a well composed message to Hon. Tashobya and urge and other activists to send messages to him. May be that will somewhat cool the fire. His email is: ntashobya@parliament.go.ug

So, there it is. The Kill the Gays Bill is in the Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Department and the Chair had publicly said he is open to outside input before it goes for the vote.But, now we know from an insider that behind the scenes maneuvering is going on the get the bill, in its current form, to the floor for vote.

The time is NOW to pressure Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Committee Chair, Hon. Stephen Tashobya to consider the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and the many destructive and deadly implications to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Ugandans. His committee needs to review the bill fully and slow it down, hopefully to its death.

Here is a suggested letter complied by Antony Hebblethwaite (AfricanActivist.org) and the informer’s contact:

Hon. Stephen Tashobya

Chairman, Legal Committe, Parliament of Uganda

Dear Sir,

It has been revealed that the recently resigned Ethics Minister Nsaba Buturo is making underground moves to have the Anti-Homosexual Bill (the Bahati Bill) expeditiously debated with plans to have it passed into law before the tenure of the 8th Parliament comes to an end. His team seems to be using the Legal Committee, which you chair, to press for its debate.

Should the unfortunate thing take place and the Anti-Homosexual bill is debated during the last session of Uganda’s 8th Parliament, there are some questions that run far deeper than the debate about homosexuality in Africa:

Will Uganda’s Parliament help build a society based on democratic values and institutions or will religious theocracy encroach on these cherished institutions?

Will Uganda’s Parliament be clear about the separation of church and state?

Will Uganda’s Parliament understand the faith-based hate behind this Bill?

Will Uganda’s Parliament further criminalize sexual minorities and alienate them from prevention and treatment services increasing the spread of HIV/AIDS?

Will Uganda’s Parliament base decisions about sexual orientation on scientific knowledge or questionable theology?

Will Uganda’s Parliament risk foreign aid from the United States and European Union by pandering to theocratic agendas, unscientific ideologies and questionable theology?

I appeal to you and your fellow Members of Parliament to do the honorable thing. Show the world that you have the courage to show compassion and show respect for the diversity of all of Uganda’s citizens, and not because U.S. Legislators are calling for an aid cut to Uganda for persecuting people “on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or religious belief.”As chairman of the Legal Committee, please ensure that Mr. Buturo and his supporters are denied this opportunity to surreptitiously sneak this appalling piece of legislation.

Sincerely,

SIGN IT AND SEND IT TO: ntashobya@parliament.go.ug

Timing is absolutely critical on this. Pressure Hon. Stephen Tashobya to review this bill in full view of the eyes of the world. Pressure him to do the just and moral thing for GLBT Ugandans. Put more pressure on him than the sneaky retired “Ethics” Minister Buturo is applying. Make it so uncomfortable to release the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in its current form that it will not make the end of May deadline. Make it die with the ending of the 8th Parliament. Kill the Kill the Gays Bill before David Bahati even gets the opportunity to crazy-talk the passing of it.

Parliament of Uganda

Cut and paste, compose your own or tell Hon. Stephen Tashobya your opinions; just do something to stop it from getting to the Parliamentary vote. An insider has been brave enough to get this information out to the world; that person knows pressure applied now in the final review stage can be effective.

Do it now, foil the behind the scenes efforts and stand for justice for those in Uganda with little or no voice. E mail : Hon. Stephen Tashobya at ntashobya@parliament.go.ug

And share this post, please. Of the 33 million Ugandas, the likelihood is there are at least one million gay, lesbian, bisexual and trangender Ugandans. God’s creation. One million people will be criminalized if this bill passes. Stop it in committee.

Lend your voice to those without one.

UPDATE : There are reports that emails are bouncing from Tashobya, the address is correct. Perhaps he is getting overwhelmed, good. Here is the entire block of email addresses of the complete Legal & Parliamentary Affairs Committee:

hsabila@parliament.go.ug, mkarooro@parliament.go.ug, mbalikudembe@parliament.go.ug; rseuku@parliament.go.ug; skayagi@parliament.go.ug; smpabwa@parliament.go.ug; rkyamulesire@parliament.go.ug; otto_jr@parliament.go.ug; dtinyefuza@parliament.go.ug; dtinye@yahoo.com; bwacha@parliament.go.ug AND cc the rest of the Parliament at : member@parliament.go.ug

My sincere gratitude to my dear, dear transgender sister in Christ, L.S. who established a trusting relationship with this inside source. It is because of her, that I have this information. And blessing and safety upon the person telling the world what is really going on in secret. Well done, His good and faithful servants.