Self-proclaimed lesbian Anitah Mukundane is one vivid case study of the many Ugandans who have fled the country after prosecution over human rights violation in relation to divergent sexuality.
A tip from Ice Breakers Uganda, an activist group where Mukundane has subscribed since 2020 indicate that she bolted Uganda in August 2022 after life threats on herself and family following the choice for her sexuality.
Her bold escape out was abetted by the continued mistreatment of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgender persons in Uganda.
Over the years, Uganda has gained reputation as one of the most unsafe countries for LGBTIQ persons and homosexuality.
Such acts have been long severely penalized in Uganda on account of colonial era laws.
The Uganda penal code Act Cap 120 under section 145, for instance, provides for unnatural offenses against the order of nature and the particular section targets LGBTIQ persons and does not provide for consensual sexual relationships between consenting adults together with the sexual offences law passed by Parliament.
These have been used by the Ugandan authorities to stigmatize and discriminate LGBTI persons.
LGBT persons in Uganda are on a daily basis subjected to insults, violent attacks, emotional abuse and evictions by society, family, friends, neighbors and sometimes employers since the living context is characterized by acute stigma and discrimination towards LGBT persons based on their sexual orientation and sometimes death.
A couple of months ago, there was a young LGBT member brutally killed in Uganda in cold blood under unclear circumstances.
