Wednesday 30 December 2009

Gug worries about his safety, Red Pepper claims Swedish Group pours billions into gay Ugandan groups

Gug has sent me scans of an article printed today in Red Pepper, a tabloid daily newspaper which publishes mostly highly sensationalized stories. The paper was the one used previously to out people. Its owners have connections to the government (it is owned by President’s brother) and it is used by the government to break stories that the other papers will not touch. It is very popular, said to be second only to New Vision, the government owned daily.

Gug has some concern that his jealously guarded anonymity may soon be broken. He is in communication with Pastor Martin Ssempa, the leader of the anti-homosexuality Christian campaign. The conservatives believe that his loss of anonymity will hurt him a great deal, which of course it will. But he thinks it might backfire because once he doesn’t have to hide, he will be free and open to campaign against the Bill in what has become a war, and they may be unpleasantly surprised. He is now more angry and mad than scared, but once exposed he will have more to fear from anonymous other people, those who feel compelled to detest himas an agent of the devil, as Ssempa preaches.

The article from Red Pepper reveals the prejudice against homosexuality which is only too familiar, and the willingness to mix fact with fabrication. If RFSL, the Swedish group named in the report, has indeed poured billions into supporting LGBT Ugandans, then it will be easy to trace, given the transparency of European organizations. Somehow, I doubt that RFSL has sent any money to Uganda, but let’s not worry about such details affecting the truth of LGBT African lives, shall we?

Here’s the article:

Red Pepper, Wednesday December 30, 2009-12-30
City Tycoons who Bankroll Ugandan Homos Revealed
By Stanley Ndawula



As the controversy surrounding David Bahati’s Anti-Homo Bill rages, Red Pepper has landed on a list of city tycoons and professionals who dig deep into their wallets to have the stinking vice lively maintained in Ugandan society.

Ndorwa West Member of Parliament Bahati’s Private Member’s Bill on Homosexuality seeks tough penalties for anal sex promoters. We have landed on several documents that indicate how lavishly the homos are facilitated to keep their vice alive.

Promoters of gay activities do this by recruiting new members, and the recruiters are normally self-confessed homos, documents reveal.

These are referred to as coordinators, who pocket a staggering Shs1.5m [about £12,500] as a monthly net salary.


Organisations such as LGBT (Lesbians, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) and a Swedish federation known as RFSL (Riksforbundet for homosexuaellas, bisexuallas och transpersoners rattigheter), pour billions of money into the country to facilitate several of these homo activities.

Also, loaded Ugandans clandestinely facilitate the cause especially when the foreign funding has not yet arrived. Some of these, we have ably established, include an assistant law lecturer at Makerere University. He normally, together with two other dons, hangs out at Tickles Bar on Gaddafi Road, formerly Makerere Hill Road.

The fellows are said to be highly funded individually. Hence, they are well position to facilitate the coordinators, also known as foot soldiers.

Now, there is a manager who works with Bata Shoe factory. He is said to have ready dime for the foot soldiers that include one Pepe, Kalende and Mukasa, all self-confessed gays.

Other highly loaded tycoons are an Italian, one Pietero who hangs out at Maama Mia and Sarah, a renowned patron at Tickles Bar. Others include Paul, a high-profile city doctor who works with a prominent medical facility. He normally hangs out T Mateo’s on Parliamentary Avenue every Friday, in company of his ‘wife’, Robert, a handsome Rwandese guy.

Paul, on top of using his personal money to keep the vice going, facilitates in the several ‘workshops’ organised for homos, and outs documentary materials that advocate for gay activities in general.

Sam, another loaded city corporate image, works with one of the giant communications houses around the city. He is so much into financing it that he at one time single handedly facilitated coordinators to a workshop in Nairobi.

God and Kar are city tycoons who clandestinely facilitate any homo cause in the country.

There is a city businessman on Nasser Road known in the gay fraternity as one with a huge whopper that has terrorised several youths’ bums. “He doesn’t have a particular partner but uses his money to secure a f**k. He is respected in the gay community because of his generosity towards various activities,” our insider source revealed last night.

The list acknowledges the support of self-confessed sympathisers such as Makerere University don Sylvia Tamale, her husband Prof. Joe Oloka Onyango, and a number of journalists and writers who covertly help to promote the vice in the media. These include Andre, Angela and Charles.

When contacted with our list for confirmation, Paul Kagaba, the estranged Gay Uganda spokesperson burst into long laughter. He said our list of gay sponsors was just the tip of the iceberg.

He, however, confirmed the list, promising to fully furnish us with more shocking revelations. “You caught me at a short notice and this is a very serious issue which requires enough preparation and adequate prayers,” he told this reporter at the Lugogo Shoprite-based Good African Coffee Restaurant on Thursday.

Kagaba said the group we listed facilitates several causes including a long annual retreat at a prominent Priest’s home in Gayaza.

“From December 22nd to January 1st, there is always a retreat at .... in Gayaza and this is when people show their financial might,” Kagaba revealed.

Pastor Martin Ssempa, the renowned anti-gay activist and now chairman of the Pastors’ crusade to support the ‘Bahati Bill’, said fighting homosexuality in Uganda was a very challenging task since the vice had several, well placed sympathisers.

“It is you people (Red Pepper) who recently revealed that two ministers had pocketed giood dime to support homos. True, we are fighting a high-profile and moneyed people but this is a Godly battle we are fighting,” Ssempa stated.

He named Sweden as one of the main foreign sponsors of homo activities in Uganda, saying they channel their sponsorship through local organisations. Such organisations include Icebreakers Uganda, Spectrum Uganda Initiatives, and Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG).

Others are Integrated Fellowship Uganda (Integrity), Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), Frank and Candy Initiative, Kuchus Living With HIV/AIDS and, Queer Youth Uganda (QYU). Ssempa further said that the main reason Ndorwa West Member of Parliament David Bahati’s Private Bill is feared is that the mentioned people and organisations will be culprits. He revealed that investigations were underway to ascertain allegations that several politicians and senior citizens were under lobby to frustrate the Bahati Bill.
Watch this space.

11 comments:

  1. What about Gug's safety? Are there enough international lgbt groups who will pull together with money and action, to keep him safe?

    Or will be it like with Davis Mac-Iyalla, where a handful of individuals and Changing Attitude tried all they could to keep him safe in exile and later to settle him in the UK?

    All those who have read this post with compassion - are you ready to help?
    Will you make yourselves known?

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  2. Thanks Erika, Changing Attitude seems to be one of the only groups committed to reporting the outrages being perpetrated in Uganda and willing to provide support, however limited.

    I asked gug to comment on the factual accuracy of the Red Pepper article. He says that Paul Kagaba is ex-gay and is most likely the person who gave the conservative anti-gay leaders the facts about him.

    Most of the organizations named are authentic. Red Pepper is systematically 'shaming' them. At the moment, if you are not with the religious conservatives you are deemed to be against them.

    Some of the individual names are authentic, others are bogus. And the authentic ones really are gay men, and women.

    I asked gug what is the truth about the money, not meaning that he might have any share in the $20million! He has been using his own money to maintain the blog, but his personal income is not so good that he can spend lavishly or bankroll 'Homosexual Uganda' as they wait for 'Homosexual International’ to send money!!!!

    When the minister made the mistake of saying he was receiving part of 20M USD to tarnish his reputation, he was very happy and shouted it out to the world, sending the Minister a shaming letter at the same time. So now, they are intimating that gug is one of the rich people.

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  3. Erika and Fr. Colin,

    You many be aware that in 2004 there was a scam for money from a heterosexual priest serving/helping LGBT Anglicans in Uganda. He had a year earlier ¨misplaced¨ a orphanage donation.

    Fr. Eric Kasirye

    Former Provincial youth and Student's Secretary Rev. Eric Kasirye of the Province of Uganda informed a online LGBT Anglican Group that he was in prison because of serving LGBT Anglicans...his wife and another ¨helpful¨ person, Lt. Josephine, were providing the daily information regarding the police arrest of Fr. Kasirye and soliciting funds to help him (money was sent including $1,000.00 U.S. from me) however this drama arrest was a lie! There really IS a Fr. Eric Kasirye, he did work with LGBT people at the Integrity Uganda LGBT Center but he was pulling off a scam as the place was being shut down by Orombi.

    Fr. Kasirye resurfaced later in May of 2005 in his NEW position, reported online (I kept all the information if anyone is interested including check numbers etc), as ¨Diocesan Mission Coordinator¨ for Bishop
    Samuel Ssekkadde, in the Diocese of Namirembe:

    LOOKING FOR A DIOCESE OR PROVINCE THAT WILL GIVE YOU COVER?

    "This is to inform you that my
    Diocese would like to adopt a parish in the States which is orthodox and lacks ecclesiastical protection.
    Kindly let us know those churches which might need some pastoral and personal support. We are very much aware of the poisonous efforts of the revisionist forces which face orthodox churches in ECUSA-and we do
    not want them to be vulnerable. The Diocese of Namirembe recently celebrated its 150 years. Of course the question that springs to mind is why not ask why an orthodox US bishop to do this?¨ Fr. Eric Kasirye
    Caution! It is my suggestion when sending ANY money to Uganda (unless, it goes directly to Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo, excommunicated by Bishop Orombi for ministering to LGBT Christians) that we must be very careful...there ought not be ANY cloak and dagger stuff and we must be certain of what is coming down. Very slippery/dishonest stuff, I know.

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  4. Leonardo
    depending on how this story develops, Gug may need direct financial support. There should be enough people who are convinced of his status and who would trust him or Changing Attitude to channel funds where needed.

    Scams can and do happen, but that should not cause us to look away and not get involved.

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  5. Scams can and do happen, but that should not cause us to look away and not get involved. Erika

    I agree. I´ve continued to support ¨causes¨ that I thought, and verified, were honorable with direct money and personal efforts to raise money. Not long ago when I was on the Board of Directors of a well-known NGO I encountered serious transparency problems and money issues. VERY SERIOUS. My main point is that being responsible when donating/helping is key to both keeping my ego in check and keeping theives at bay...donating ¨blindly¨ (after I´ve mostly written/imagined or filled-in-the-blanks script/need) will never be done again by me (por favor Dios)...being responsible includes being vigilant regarding money and avoiding my tendency to get, shall we say, lofty and overly-imaginative?

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  6. Leonardo
    That's fine, let's be as vigilant as possible. But my question had been much more practical and acute. If Gug, who we all know exists, ends up in the same kind of trouble Davis Mac-Iyalla found himself in - who will help?
    The "how" can be sorted out somehow. The first question is who is actually willing and able and will they come forward?

    There were enough people who claimed Davis didn't exist, that his need was a scam, that we shouldn't get involved. And yet, the real man needed real help and there were, fortunately, enough people to make it possible to keep him safe. But I can assure you that a handful have given almost to personal financial breaking point and it would be good to know that it could be different if enough of those calling for lgbt freedom in the West felt personally responsible for Gug's safety and found ways of giving financial support.

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  7. ¨But I can assure you that a handful have given almost to personal financial breaking point and it would be good to know that it could be different if enough of those calling for lgbt freedom in the West felt personally responsible for Gug's safety and found ways of giving financial support.¨ Erika

    And I can assure you that ¨those of us calling for lgbt freedom¨ in the WEST have been personally ¨responsible¨ and try and avoid being personally ¨codependent¨ as we HELP others (ask Josh ¨who¨ donated ¨what¨ for Davis Mac-Iyalla if you´re making a list and checking it twice) for Davis (Canon, now Bishop, Tunde denied Davis was REAL as Akinolas mouthpiece)...I wouldn´t assume we are not participating in ALL WAYS as we campaign for justice at ALL levels of society (wherever we are) and helping our sisters and brothers (in many ways)...anyhow, if and when, it´s ¨gugs¨ time to require our help we will need to know far more about him (even secretly) and HIS needs and immediate plans...I for one, won´t participate without full disclosure (ever again).

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  8. Len
    It wasn’t meant to be a criticism!
    I know Josh has been fantastic and that many individuals have made contributions.
    As for co-dependency – a strange charge when you don’t know the details.
    And I’m not assuming anything about anyone. I’m merely pointing out that quite often, more than political sympathy is needed, and that Gug’s story could quickly develop into one of those.

    I agree with you, I hope and expect that when Gug needs help, we will get the same reliable information and maybe even the option to make personal contact, as we did with Davis and other Nigerians in trouble. As I said, I’m not advocating giving blindly.
    Of course, “full disclosure” may be difficult if someone has to flee and live anonymously in exile. At some point you may have to trust those who ask on his behalf.

    Articles like this that spread rumours that lgbt groups are pouring millions into the support of lgbt Africans are misleading not only the opponents of homosexuality and have to be counteracted by a little bit of the financial reality facing persecuted gays Africa.

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  9. I don´t think any of us intentionally would throw our money away because of a perceived dire need that turned out to be a conjob. Frankly I think much of the ministry of some of the Global South Archbishops is as crude a grandstanding and opportunist hustle as one can get (at the expense of real live Anglicans throughout the world). Currently, I have FULL confidence in Bishop Christopher Ssenyonjo, excommunicated by Bishop Orombi for ministering to LGBT Christians (and a fundraising campaign for him is being held for him by Integrity U.S.A.)...Erika, dear friend, gug knows where I am and knows how to get in direct touch with me...he must be more that ¨Gay Uganda¨ (which was also the name of the Yahoogroup that handled the con job earlier featuring Lt. Josephine, Fr. Eric Kasirye and hustle ensemble including emailing me directly for a airplane ticket to Canada for Fr. Eric...no, I didn´t wire it).

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  10. Leonardo and Erika, I shoould have chipped in again on this thread sooner but tiredness caught up with me over the new year!

    I am well aware of Eric Kasirye and the ways in which he successfully persuaded people to part with money in 2004. I was involved at first hand, having met Chris and Francis, the two people from Uganda who came to speak at the LGCM Half Way to Lambeth Conference in Manchester in 2003. Both of them knew Eric. In the event, Francis also turned out to have come for ulterior motives and didn't attend the conference.

    Africa is a continent in which there is deep, endemic poverty and a level of corruption and abuse of peoples and systems which we find intolerable but which is effectively 'normality' there. Any financial involvement by us has accept and deal with this.

    A lot has changed since 2003. Changing Attitude is networked with gay people in many African countries, and were there a need to provide emergency support, such as we have recently given in Kenya, then we are more able to put in place a system of checks and balances, sending money via people we know to be honest and who, on the ground, can double check whether a request is genuine or fraudulent.

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  11. I only recently discovered this blog during my research on the current Uganda situation. I lived in Uganda for some years and I do personally know the person who calls himself Gug. I believe him when he says he does not want to leave, but I would certainly wish to be of some support if he and his partner are forced to run for their lives. As of today he is in the fighting mood, but it seems clear that his cover is slipping and hard to say what may happen.

    Gug says he has contingency plans but I have no idea what they are. I have told him that, if he turns up in UK seeking asylum, I will vouch for his and his partner's identity, and quite possibly part with a few pounds.

    If you have no idea who I am, I used to comment on the Gay Uganda blog from time to time as well as Sebaspace, but since Gug joined Facebook I am with him there, though with my real name. I'm not sure how blogspot works for private messages, but anyone who wants to contact me privately can do so at wet0blanket@yahoo.co.uk

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