Kizza Musinguzi, editor of gayrightsuganda.org wins Sappho In Paradise Book Prize.
Kizza, who is also an ayslum seeker in the UK, documents the violence and intimidation suffered by the gay community in Uganda has won the Sappho in Paradise Book Prize.
“It is deeply moving to see our 2008 book prize awarded to Kizza Musinguzi and gayrightsuganda.org,” said The International Lesbian & Gay Cultural Network Literature Secretary Ian Stewart.“The worsening situation for lesbians and gay men in Uganda at the hands of the Anglican Church and BAe reveals the violent homophobia with which the UK Establishment is happy to be associated, in callously exploiting some of the world’s most vulnerable people.”
President of Uganda Kaguta Yoweri Museveni and other officials have spoken out against homosexuals on numerous occasions.
In June this year, Ugandan Bishop Luzinda said: “I have been hearing that gays are demanding that the government should legalise their activities. This is absurd because God created a man and woman so that they can produce and fill this world. The government should not be tempted to legalise this backward culture which is bound to destroy this country. Not all that comes from Europe is superior and must be taken up by us,” Bishop Luzinda said.
President Museveni said the purpose of life was to create children and that homosexuality was a “negative foreign culture.”
During his time in office LGBT Ugandans have been repeatedly threatened, harassed or attacked. Many have fled the country.