Ugandan presidential candidate pledges to build ‘moral re-correction centres’ for gay men
By Will Stroude
Ugandan presidential candidate Abed Bwanika has vowed to stamp out homosexuality in the east African country by ‘rehabilitating’ gay men, according to The Daily Monitor.
Speaking at his campaign launch in Kampala, Bwanika announced his plans to take on social evils like homosexuality by building “moral re-correction centres”.
“Uganda is no area for homosexuality,” the 48-year-old veterinarian and pastor said. “We cannot accept to be pushed into homosexuality by the West. All homosexuals [in Uganda] will be rehabilitated because they have demons and we have specialists to chase out demons.”
The other presidential hopefuls include sacked prime minister Amama Mbabazi, who spoke out against homophobia back in July.
Mbabazi said, “I am opposed to homophobia. While I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, homosexuality is not something new.
“I have stated very clearly that there shouldn’t be any discrimination and it is not the biggest threat right now in the country.”
Edwin Sesange, director of London-based African LGBTI organisation Out and Proud Diamond Group, called Bwanika’s comments “cheap” and misleading.
“It is a deliberate poor judgement on his side to claim that LGBTI people are demonic and can be rehabilitated,” Sesange said. “We request him to base his political campaign on facts, not propaganda.”
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