Kampala Woman MP hopeful and social media critic Stella Nyanzi has written to gay leaders; American actor Ellen DeGeneres and songwriter Elton John seeking for funding from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual (LGBTQA) community.
According to Nyanzi, the money she seeks from LGBTQA funding will be used in her campaigns for the woman MP for Kampala.
The former Makerere University research fellow wants the gay community to fundraise 340,000$ (Shs1.3b) to enable her to battle her opponents.
Nyanzi claims that she has been already smeared by different people as a Ga rights defender which she does not deny, but claims need to get funding for.
“My opponents and their fans assert that my campaigns for political office are heavily funded by white gay men and white lesbian women.”
“I have never denied that I am a strong ally of the LGBTIQA+ communities in Uganda specifically, but Africa more broadly. I acknowledge my academic research and scientific knowledge production through scholarly journal articles, book chapters, poetry, and conference presentations on same-sex relationships and non-binary genders,” she continues.
Nyanzi says that the smear campaign alleging that she is heavily funded by LGBTQA community has driven away her supporters
“In a deeply conservative national context where patriarchy, misogyny, heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia thrive, this homophobic propaganda is detracting potential supporters from my campaign,” she says.
“I joined the race for Kampala Woman Member of Parliament during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Uganda. During my public media engagements, my opponents and their supporters are masterminding a political smear-campaign in which they call me “a promoter of homosexuality,” “a violator of Kiganda, Ugandan and African traditional values,” and “a dangerous example to youths.,” Nyanzi claims.
She asserted that she embraces queer activism, and pro-LGBTIQA+ rights advocacy. She also said she participated in several local pride marches, variously supported individuals and organisations, and attended diverse processes that challenged the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and Anti-Homosexuality Act in Uganda.
“However, I have never received any funding support for either my activism or my political campaign from any white gay man or white lesbian person,” she claims
“This letter is, therefore, to formally and publicly invite both of you to fund my campaign for political office. My total budget is UGX 1,300,000,000 Uganda Shillings, which is equivalent to USD 340,000$ United States Dollars.”