Posted by Melanie Nathan, San Francisco – January 29, 2001 Rodney Muhumuza of (Metro) Press, Uganda, - reports the most astounding backfire. After I read his article I was able to the view the actual video, surreptitiously captured on the cell phone camera of an embedded source in Kampala, who provided it to a blogger colleague of mine in the USA. It can be viewed on Box Turtle’s Website Blog. Link can be found at www.lezgetreal.com - in my article by this title.

Metro reports that Pastor Martin Ssempa, a fervent supporter of The Legislation designed to criminalize people for being Gay – on Tuesday “plumbed the depths of notoriety when he offered graphic images of gay sex as proof of the need for tough penalties against homosexuals.” You better believe it…”Gay Porn from the Prince of Gay Hate” Hallelujah Baaaaby!

It seems midway through his presentation, most of his audience walked out, some visibly disturbed, leaving him to wonder if he had done anything wrong. The cleric seemed genuinely rattled when he asked: “Why should I be traumatized?” A group of American students invited to the press conference by a member of parliament were so shaken that one was seen crying as he walked out.

The presntation ended abruptly and before it was complete and the Pastor said he did not regret his actions. The press conference, the latest in a series of events he is holding in support of the 2009 Anti-Homosexuality Bill, had been called to parade two Ugandans, a man and a woman, who say their homosexuality has been rehabilitated through reparative therapy.

Former gays
“I am Paul Kagaba, and I am a former homosexual,” the man declared. The woman, Sandrah Baggotte, a 19-year-old mother who says she became gay when she was 16, offered her baby as proof of her new life, while Kagaba says he is now happily married to a woman. (Sheeeez, I would do the same if you said I could hang for it!) Also dont they rape lesbians in Africa, corrective rape? - baby made… easy..

The duo had been brought to validate Pastor Ssempa’s argument that homosexuality can be cured, that gays are recruiting actively, and that “David Bahati is a hero” for proposing tough legislation against gays. Okay its one thing to recruit for the army or a survey or a row boat team – but who the hell would want to be recruited for homosexuality. Maybe that was Ssempa’s projection of his own endeavors on that sordid night. The room was decorated with anti-gay posters.
Now here comes the real doozy – The cleric, who let his two young sons attend the press conference, said the boys were free to make their own statements against homosexuality. “They represent those we need to protect… We are giving a red card to sodomy.”

Pastor’s Ssempa’s latest conduct represents a profound attempt to keep the anti-gay debate alive after President Museveni expressed opposition to Ndorwa West MP Bahati’s proposal of death or life imprisonment for gay sex. Mr Museveni recently said Uganda’s foreign policy was being hurt by anti-gay efforts at home.