A suspected gay couple has been banished from their area of residence by local council and community leaders, The Tower Post has learnt.
Daniel Muwanguzi and Alan Ssewakiryanga, both residents of Katumba Village, Kyanja Parish in Kampala District were given a 7-day ultimatum to vacate their home after they reportedly failed to “explain” their homosexual behaviors.
“Due to failure of explanation in the meeting today about your homosexual behaviors, the LC1 [Local Council One] has decided to expel you from the village,” a letter by the village leader, seen by this website reads in part.
“You are therefore given seven days from today 13th April 2023 to vacate the village. No further excuses,” Christopher Tabula, the Village LC1 Chairperson further wrote.
Prior to the said meeting, The Tower Post understands that the duo was attacked by a homophobic mob, beaten to pulp before being dragged to Kira Road Police Station where they were detained without trial for four days.
According to Uganda’s constitution, a suspect can only be detained for a maximum of 48 hours [2 days] and either be released or arraigned in court. The duo however remained in detention for an extra two days despite not being charged.
Their expulsion came on Thursday April 13th, a day after their release from detention.
This website has not fully established where the two youths plan to relocate to but unconfirmed reports indicate that they have moved to Masaka District, Central Uganda for fear of being attacked again.
This development comes barely a month after parliament passed a death penalty on aggravated homosexuality and a punishment of 20 years’ imprisonment for anyone engaging in acts of homosexuality.
The bill is now pending a signature by President Yoweri Museveni before it’s passed into law and the said punishments begin.
Despite the President’s delay in assenting to or rejecting the bill, several homophobic locals have started hunting down suspected gays and imposing what they deem as appropriate punishments.
The Anti-homosexuality bill was previously fronted in 2009 and was passed by Parliament in December 2013. President Museveni signed it into law in February 2014 but it was later annulled by the Constitutional Court in August 2014 on grounds of lack of quorum.
