Minister, ambassador clash over gays Bill

Mukono- There was drama at the Uganda Christian University yesterday as the state minister for Higher Education, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, clashed with the Belgian Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Alain Hanssen, over the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

The exchange happened at the launch of the Inter-University Research platforms conference at at UCU in Mukono.

Amb Hanssen, who was the chief guest and representative of the Belgian government, the conference’s sponsor, said he was disappointed with the government for the passage of the legislation that prohibits the promotion of homosexuality, saying it was a violation of human rights.

“As the Belgian government, we are disappointed by the recent developments in Uganda. We deplore such developments because they are aimed at violating fundamental human rights. We ask the Ugandan government to withdraw the Anti-Homosexuality Bill for re-examination,” Amb Hanssen said.

This, however, drew murmurs of disapproval from the majority of the participants, prompting Dr Muyingo to take a swipe at Amb Hanssen’s comments.

“It is very important that we emphasise respect to each other and everyone’s values, efforts and support,” Mr Muyingo said, garnering loud applause from the audience.
“I am very disappointed with the ambassador for making such statements without due respect to our values and sovereignty as Uganda. They (Europeans) want to force their culture on us thinking we will just take it. Not anymore. We are a sovereign state,” Muyingo emphasized.

Dr John Senyonyi, the UCU vice chancellor, supported the minister, saying Ugandans would never buy into tolerance and promotion of homosexuality.

He said UCU as a church-founded university was not the right place for statements aired by Amb Hanssen.

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