A well-known advocate for the LGBTQ+ community in Uganda is currently in a serious state after being attacked by unidentified individuals on a motorcycle while on his way to work on Wednesday.
Police reported that 25-year-old Steven Kabuye was found by local residents after being attacked with a knife and left for dead on the outskirts of the capital city of Kampala.
Advocates for human rights have been cautioning about the danger of violence against individuals belonging to the LGBTQ+ community following Uganda’s implementation of what is deemed as one of the strictest laws against homosexuality globally.
According to a statement released by police spokesperson Patrick Onyango, Kabuye informed detectives conducting the investigation that he had been receiving threats of death.
Mr. Kabuye reported that two people on a motorcycle, with helmets on, approached him. The passenger got off the motorcycle and assaulted him, specifically aiming for his neck with a knife,” Onyango explained.
“Kabuye was able to protect his neck by using his right arm, but he still received a stab wound on his hand. Although he tried to run away, the attackers pursued him and stabbed him in the stomach, leaving him unconscious,” he reported. He also mentioned that nearby residents discovered him and brought him to a nearby clinic for medical treatment.
Richard Lusimbo, leader of Uganda Key Populations Consortium’s community action group, stated: “Our current focus is on ensuring that he receives appropriate medical treatment and that those responsible for this atrocious act are held accountable.”
Hans Senfuma, an activist for gay rights in Uganda, stated in a post on X that the perpetrators were attempting to murder Kabuye. “Steven alleges that these two individuals aimed to kill him, not to rob him, and suggests that they have been monitoring his movements for several days,” Senfuma explained.
Kabuye, employed by the Coloured Voices Media Foundation, a group advocating for LGBTQ+ youth, informed investigators during their visit to his hospital bed that he had been receiving threats of violence since March 2023.
In June, he traveled abroad and then returned to Uganda in December to spend Christmas.
In May of last year, Uganda implemented laws against homosexuality that included a clause declaring “aggravated homosexuality” as a possible capital offense. It also outlined punishments of up to life imprisonment for those engaged in consensual same-sex relationships.
The act of being homosexual has been deemed illegal in Uganda for a considerable amount of time, based on a law from colonial times that criminalizes sexual acts that are deemed “unnatural”. This law carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction. The recent law has introduced additional offenses and corresponding punishments.
Kabuye expressed his worry on X regarding the impact of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023. He stated that the law goes against fundamental human rights and could lead to discrimination and oppression towards the LGBTQ+ community. He called for unity and resistance against intolerance and animosity.
The new law has caused anger among human rights supporters and countries in the western world, and is currently facing opposition in Uganda’s constitutional court.
The government of President Yoweri Museveni has taken a strong stance and officials have accused the western world of attempting to force Africa to embrace homosexuality.
Source: theguardian.com
