Muslims march against homosexuality

Thousands of Muslim demonstrators took to the streets of Jinja City, on Friday condemning homosexuality.

The protesters shouted slogans and held placards with inscriptions against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

The placards had words such as “say no to LGBTQ”, “homosexuality and lesbianism is sin”, “Gayism is evil”, “homosexuality is not African culture” and “No room for LGBTQ”.

The protestors, who also included children from different primary and secondary schools, and leaders from other religious groups, also organised an anti-LGBT rally at Faisal Mosque at Mvule Crescent in Jinja City on Friday.

The chairperson of the Union of Eastern Muslim Scholars, Mr Shafie Songolo, said it is a human principle that our [body] organs are similar in nature but their functions are totally different.

“The mouth and nose are open in nature but their functions are totally different. You cannot breathe through your mouth because God created a nose with hair inside that filters dust. Having different organs does not mean they will help each other in performing a certain task,” he said.

The Jinja City Education Officer, Mr Haruna Mulopa, urged school heads to monitor their students’ characters to avoid cases of homosexuality.

“These LGBT groups target schools, especially poor children, give them money and vehicles. Teachers, you must monitor those rich students at your schools because some of them are funded to spread homosexuality,’’ he said.

Busoga Bishop Moses Samson Naimanye said they distanced themselves from the Church of England that endorsed same-sex relations.

“If animals can’t practice homosexuality, why would a human, who was created in God’s image, practice it? As a church, we condemn same-sex relations because it is against the divine laws and nature,” Rev Naimanye, who was represented by Rev Emmanuel Mugabi at the anti-LGBT walk, said.

The national chairperson of Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC), Prof Muhammad Lubega Kisambira, urged parents to talk about LGBT to their children so that it can be stopped.

“Although we grew up knowing that talking about sex to our children is not right until they are adults, let us talk about homosexuality with our children. Senior female and male teachers, play your role. The funders target children in secondary, tertiary and university,” he said.

The Jinja District Kadhi, Sheikh Ismail Basoga, urged the government to ban all non-government organisations that are promoting homosexuality in Uganda.