
By Aaron Ainomugisha. Two men suspected to be members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual-LGBTQIA+ community have been fired from work at the Masindi abattoir in Masindi town located behind Masindi Main Prison in western Uganda.
The victims (identities concealed) who are 44 and 30 years old, working as abattoir cleaners were expelled by the management of the abattoir after reports that they were caught practicing homosexuality, days ago.
According to Henry Kwezi the chairman of the abattoir, upon learning about this scenario they immediately held an emergency meeting where the victims denied the accusations, but their expulsion was for their safety from being harassed or harmed by colleagues since the allegations had internally escalated.
This comes at a time when LGBTQIA+ members in Uganda are greatly endangered as Ugandan lawmakers in 11th parliament continue with debates on an anti-homosexuality bill that would allow the jailing of LGBTQIA+ individuals for up to 10 years for declaring their identity or touching with homosexual intention, and other clauses. The bill was moved by Bugiri Municipality MP, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa.
On December 20, 2013, the 9th parliament passed a bill that was signed by President Museveni on February 24,2014 as Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2014. This generated international uproar and Uganda’s Constitutional Court annulled it in August 2014.
Uganda’s LGBTQIA+ members’ population is not clear since most of them live in fear due to hostile environment and Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights-SRHR gaps in the country.
Rise News Uganda can authoritatively report that there are many LGBTQIA+ members living in most urban centres in Western Uganda like Mbarara city, Ibanda municipality, Rukungiri, Kasese, and other parts of the country. Journalists that are reporting about LGBTQIA+ community issues are also being threatened.