Ugandan veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye has for the first time spoken out on his position on the recently assented-to Anti-Homosexuality Act that has attracted condemnation from development partners including UNAIDS, whose executive director is his (Besigye’s) wife Winnie Byanyima.
Byanyima has been consistent in her criticism of the Ugandan government’s push for an anti-gay law. Even before the law was assented to by the country’s 78-year-old long serving president Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, Byanyima had warned of the consequences of the piece of legislation to the fight against HIV/AIDS.
She even held a meeting with Uganda’s Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka. During this meeting she tried to convince the AG, who is the government chief legal advisor, to convince the head of state and government not to sign the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law. (See Details Here).
Around the same time, there were concerns from the US government that pointed to the suspension of an HIV/AIDS program that would see thousands of HIV/AIDS patients miss out on ARV drugs. This was seen as an ACCEPT HOMOSEXUALITY OR DIE warning. (See Details Here and There).
Now, after months of silence on the matter of homosexuality, Besigye has come out to give his views on the controversial issue.
Promising to give his detailed position on the matter, Besigye said he believed homosexuality was a sin but wondered why Christians would condemn sinners for their orientation.
“First of all, I would like to categorically say that I believe in the Christian faith and the scriptures and so I consider homosexuality as a sin,” Besigye told The Interface.
“What I find strange and especially from believers like me is to assume the role of judges when the Bible is categorically clear – when you read the Book of St Like 6 – it’s categorically clear don’t judge and you will not be judged, don’t condemn and you’ll not be condemned, forgive and you will be forgiven – I think that is 6:37 but earlier in verse 31 or something it talks about love: that if you [only] love those who love you what is your credit, even sinners love those who love them? You must love those who are different from you and so, I have significant issues with how, especially believers, respond to what is considered as sin.”
He also wondered why Ugandans do not condemn other sins like fornication and adultery the same way they demonize homosexuality.
“They also consider sin and condemn it in very inconsistent ways because homosexuality, fornication, promiscuity, even adultery, they are the same [sins] but how they respond to them seems to be selective,” he noted.
“We have had very high profile clerics caught red handed in adultery and you don’t see the kind of [condemnation].”
He also revealed that his family has been attacked and continues to be attacked and condemned over the law.
It should be remembered that Winnie Byanyima was blasted for defending homosexuals, with some Ugandans accusing her of failing as a parent and others regretting what kind of first lady she would have been had her husband Besigye become Uganda’s President. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
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