Supreme Court remains only hope for gay rights activists in Uganda

The Supreme Court is the only hope for the gay rights activists after 22 petitioners filed an appeal last week with hope nullify the anti-gay law adopted last year.

The Constitutional Court on April 3 threw out a request by the petitioners to have the law nullified.

After the Constitutional Court, human rights lawyers and activists led by Legislator Fox Odoi, Nicholas Opiyo and journalist Andrew Mwenda promised they were going to appeal the Court’s decision which they said was unfair to homosexuals in Uganda.

The Appeal will see the first of its kind related to sexual minorities being decided on by the highest judicial organ in Uganda.

This law has drawn world attention including the World Bank halting new loans to Uganda. But Ugandans including President Yoweri Museveni have insisted they will not falter.

Ever since the debate resumed in parliament to reintroduce the bill after it was dismissed by the court in 2014, some members of gay community went into hibernation.

Others have left the country for fear of this law which is very popular because of religious and cultural beliefs held by the majority not only Uganda but Africa.

Most of the reports of persecution and hatred have been directed towards the State but biggest disdain at the community and family levels.

One example is Kato Aburahamu Galiwango who last in August left the country because he is gay and his family couldn’t tolerate him.

However,  even if the Supreme Court petition succeeds, homosexuals in Uganda will still have to live private lives because it’s not a popular thing in Uganda.

The reason for enacting the new law even when same-sex relations have been illegal in Uganda since the British colonial era was provoked reports that there was promotion of sexuality in Uganda especially among the schools.