Alpheous’s view on Uganda/US LGBTQI debate
MBABANE )ollowing the now contro versial position of Uganda regarding the /esbian, gay, bise[ual, transgen der,Tueer and interse[ /*%74I community, *overnment Spokesperson Alpheous 1[umalo has stated his personal view.
(ver since Uganda¶s 3resident 7here have also been criticism and an argument that Anti +omose[uality Act of violates multiple fundamental rights guaranteed under Uganda¶s constitution and breaks commitments made by the government as a signatory to a num ber of international human rights agreements. /ast month, Uganda¶s government denounced the United States¶ e[pansion of visa restrictions against its officials, accusing :ashington of pushing an µ/*%74I agenda¶ in Africa. It was reported that the new visa restrictions targeted unidentified officials the U.S. deemed responsible for undermining democracy and repressing marginalised groups in Uganda, including the /*%74I community. )ollowing a recent podcast on the issue, 1[ umalo shared his personal view, saying (urope must be careful about pushing their minority rights agenda upon their respective African countries. ³*lobal diplomacy must serve all of us well in this regard. Mutual respect and honour of our African practices of human rights must at tract a reasonable consideration by the :estern world. In Africa, the practices of human rights, are not e[pected to override the principles and values cherished and embraced in our societies,” 1[umalo said. (laborating, he said it was also concerning to see and hear more of the rights and privileges of offenders than the offended. 7his tendency, he said, made the concept of hu man rights to be more like it was about the rights of the criminals than their victims in society. In his view, there was obviously a need to re engage and re connect between the African countries and their western counter parts on the Tuestion of the rights of minority groups in Africa. ³7he latest trend to tie and pre condition economic and financial aid to African countries to the agenda for the rights and privileges of minority groups in the continent is unfair, unMust and insensitive to our ways of life and to our so cial norms. Most African countries are resentful to the aggressive manner in which the western world is imposing the agenda for the rights of the minority groups in the continent. 7here¶s a need to revisit this and the sooner, the better for the international system to function well and to the benefit of all nation,” he said. :hen asked to clarify the source of his opinion, 1[umalo said it was premised on the need to engage and debate on these issues as opposed to making them a condition for the assistance offered to developing countries. It should be noted that currently, homose[u ality is not allowed legally in the .ingdom of (swatini.