“We are all Ugandans and we have the right to have this pride. As the buses pulled away, many voiced their anger. Without explanation they ordered everyone back onto the buses. Wo trucks carrying police arrived at the venue. (Photo courtesty of Voices: Combating Homophobia In Uganda)Īt first, no signs of trouble were evident at the Pride site. LGBTI activist Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera confronts police at Uganda Pride 2016. Simon Lokodo, Uganda’s vehemently anti-LGBTI ethics minister, warned last week that Pride participants would be arrested and prosecuted. “In terms of the legal procedure, they ticked all the boxes,” Opiyo said. Parade organizers had given police formal notification of their plans. They should be regarded as heroes and heroines. Thank God I was able to capture the early morning moments of Pride set up and I thank the 100s of LGBT people who stood together and went ahead to step on the 2016 pride parade venues.
Just a few minutes after taking the photos, police came and commanded the stage and all rainbow decoration to be put down, the chef to pack all the food plus everyone else who was at the venue to leave immediately. We didn’t forget to carry our placards, so we started taking photos of us as we wait for other people coming from Kampala to arrive. The stage was already set, the P.A was set and the BBQ chef had started roasting the pork, chicken and beef. We set off to Entebbe at 7:30 and by 8:00am we were already at Pride venue to do the sound check preparing for t he performances. As one activist reported:Ħ:00 am I was on my way to pick up the dancers. Some organizers were making preparations at the site when police arrived. Some demonstrators said officers had been leading parade-goers back to a police station in Kampala, but Opiyo said “nobody has been formally arrested, as far as we know yet.” Preparations for Uganda Pride Parade 2016. LGBT leader Frank Mugisha told Agence France-Presse that one man jumped from a moving minibus and injured himself. One man was injured, many were frightened and upset by police actions, but no one was arrested. In August, the authorities broke up a beauty pageant and arrested activists. This is the second time the LGBTI community has tried to hold gay pride celebrations in Uganda this year. …Īfter being blocked from entering the Entebbe resort, several dozen participants moved on to another resort but were kicked out by officers. Gay rights activist Frank Mugisha said more than 100 LGBTI people tried to participate in the celebrations in Entebbe near Lake Victoria.īut many were escorted by police back to Kampala in minibuses. Many participants then moved to Kisubu beach, but were blocked there too. “The police arrived at the venue before the event organizers,” Opiyo said. More than 100 people tried to convene on a beach in Entebbe on Lake Victoria but were ordered back into their minibuses by police and told to leave the area, human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo told BuzzFeed News. Uganda police blocked the country’s LGBTI community from holding its fifth annual Pride Parade yesterday.