IN DEFENCE OF HOMOPHOBIA
Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni pushes back at western critics: ‘Gays want to behave like exhibitionists,’
“Gays want to behave like exhibitionists. If I kissed my wife in public, I’d lose the next election.” YOWERI MUSEVENI
Yoweri Museveni has ruled Uganda for three decades. Here, he speaks frankly about the West’s role in fostering African Islamist terror, his opposition to the International Criminal Court and whether he is himself abusing his power.
As a young politician you castigated autocratic African leaders who ruled for their entire lives. When you came to power, you changed the constitution so you could stay in office longer. It has been 30 years now. When will you leave?
My critics always forget to mention that I was democratically elected; the others were not. Everyone in Uganda can challenge me, everyone can vote, the elections are free. Not many countries have achieved what we did. One-third of the seats in Parliament are reserved for women, five seats for youth, five for workers, five for the disabled and 10 for the army. How many democracies with such a record do you know?
So far, the political party system has yet to succeed in Uganda. Your only serious challenger, Kizza Besigye, has been arrested repeatedly. International observers certified the recent election as unfair, and on one day during the election campaign, you were on television for 12 hours while your opponent was only on for four minutes. Is this democracy?
Our laws and institutions are excellent, but the population is not yet ready. They must develop their views and need to be provided with the right information. We now also have private broadcasters and many are critical of me, hostile even, yet they operate freely.
Aren’t you afraid of an African rebellion similar to the Arab Spring? Uganda’s rapidly growing population is young, globally connected and its biggest problem is the lack of jobs and the feeling of not being able to breach the old leadership structures.
Our population is growing rapidly because of our good health policy. When I came into office, there were 14 million Ugandans; today there are 38 million, despite the catastrophe of AIDS, which we have also tackled. The Ugandans know and appreciate this, especially the elderly. This makes it very unlikely that Uganda will face a chaotic scenario similar to that in Syria or other places.
Last year, 1.3 million refugees came to Germany, mainly from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, but also from Africa. What should the Europeans do to stop the refugee crisis?
Refugee problems can only be solved in the region (of origin) — maybe with a little help from the UN. Governments must provide something for their countries. They need to deliver. Thirty years ago, Uganda was among the four countries that had the largest number of refugees abroad, along with Ethiopia, Afghanistan and Sudan. We have dealt with it. Today people stay because they find a better life here.
Some are already talking about a new “axis of terror” that reaches from Mauritania in the west via Mali, Nigeria, Niger and Sudan to Somalia in the far east of the continent. How realistic is this threat?
The chaotic situation in Libya is definitely creating a threat. Libya now connects the jihadists in Africa with those in the Middle East and in Afghanistan. This could have been avoided.
The International Criminal Court in The Hague aims to end impunity for the criminals in these wars. In 2008 you supported the arrest warrant against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for crimes against humanity. Recently, he was in Kampala at your inauguration ceremony, where you warmly received him. You didn’t show any interest in arresting him. How come the change of heart?
I was one of the first to sign the Rome Statute, which established the International Criminal Court (ICC). I was against impunity when it comes to human rights violations. But many of us African leaders now want to leave the Rome Statute as soon as possible because of this western arrogance.
African opposition to the ICC has been building up since Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta was to have been indicted. You seem to feel closer to Kenyatta than to your Sudanese counterpart. But a crime is a crime and the law is the law. Doesn’t this apply to both friends and foes?
When we asked the United Nations to suspend the trial for a year, which the statutes allow, so that Kenyan elections could be carried out, it was simply rejected. The preparation for the indictment proceeded. Now I’ve changed my mind, even against Omar al-Bashir. Whether he has to be charged or not, the Sudanese shall decide or the Africans. The ICC has lost all credibility. This is our continent, not yours. Who are you to ignore the voice of the Africans?
But if the 34 African countries withdraw from the Rome Statute, the International Criminal Court will have failed.
So what? Judge yourselves, not us.
Three decades ago, Uganda was the country where the most people died of AIDS. Your education and research program had a major impact in reducing the
Today, hundreds of thousands of AIDS patients are under medical treatment, which is a great advancement. But it makes some people reckless.
Gays claim not to be harassed by the state, but by mob forces. Homosexuality is prohibited by law and this creates a criminalizing climate that promotes attacks.
This is just another example of European arrogance. For us, heterosexuality is normal. Homosexuality is a deviation. Then western diplomats come up to me and say: As long as you do not take our way of thinking, you are the evil. My answer is: Go to hell. Leave us with our option.
Why you don’t just lift the law?
We do not accept the western way of thinking that there are two ways of life. At the same time, the police (here) are not chasing gays. In Africa, sexuality is something very private, even for heterosexuals. Heterosexuals are not parading! But gays want to behave like exhibitionists. If I kissed my wife in public, I’d lose the next election.
If you want to run for election again, the constitution will need to be changed to extend the age limit for presidents to 75 years. Will that happen?
The Ugandans shall decide.