Women protest against the new anti-pornography and dress code legislation on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2014, in Kampala. AFP
KAMPALA鈥擴gandans protested Wednesday tough new laws against homosexuality and indecent clothing, with women gathering in tight skirts warning that mobs had already harassed them for their dress.
On Monday, President Yoweri Museveni signed a bill into law which holds that repeat homosexuals should be jailed for life, outlaws the promotion of homosexuality and requires people to denounce gays.
Earlier this month Museveni also signed into law anti-pornography and dress code legislation which outlaws 鈥減rovocative鈥� clothing, bans scantily clad performers from Ugandan television and closely monitors what individuals watch on the Internet.
鈥淲omen are being undressed simply because they are putting on little skirts, tight trousers or leggings,鈥� said Isabella Akitang, one of the women participating in the protest about dress outside the National Theatre in the capital Kampala.
鈥淭here is no justification for any violence against women, for rape.鈥�
Mobs have stripped at least 10 people for alleged 鈥渋ndecent鈥� clothes, including women in miniskirts and men in low-slung trousers, Uganda鈥檚 Daily Monitor newspaper reported Wednesday.
Those opposed to the anti-gay law did not openly take to the streets, with fear sparked by the listing of people accused of being gay by the Red Pepper newspaper for a second day Wednesday, alongside lurid stories of alleged homosexual actions.
鈥淢ore media witch hunt exposure, this time with lots of photos,鈥� gay-rights activist Kasha Jacqueline tweeted in response.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has called on Uganda to repeal the tough new law on homosexuals, warning it could fan violence and impede responses to HIV and AIDS.
However, Uganda鈥檚 health minister Ruhakana Rugunda has said that all people are 鈥渁t complete liberty to get full treatment鈥� and healthcare, with medical workers bound by confidentially rules not reveal a patient鈥檚 sexuality, he told the BBC.
Diverting domestic attention?
The passing of the bills have been largely popularly received in Uganda, where Museveni鈥攊n power for 28 years鈥攆aces reelection in 2016.
However, protestors in Kampala said the laws were a way of diverting attention from other issues in Uganda.
鈥淭hese laws are just a way for Museveni to hide what is really happening : this country in failing,鈥� said protestor Patience Akuma.
鈥淚 have myself been stopped and harassed by a police officer because I was wearing a miniskirt. He slapped me when I tried to take his picture. At the post office, I was told to come back when I would be properly dressed.鈥�
Some women wore shorts, carrying signs that read, 鈥淭hou shalt not touch my mini-skirt.鈥�
鈥淭his violence is escalating, this is just the beginning,鈥� said Nargis Shirazi, another protestor.
鈥淯nless we stand out and talk about it, we are going to get into worse situations鈥� our laws should stop focusing on the way women are dressed, and start getting on with the real issues.鈥�
The signing of the anti-gay law came despite fierce criticism from Western nations and key donors, including US President Barack Obama, who has warned that ties between Kampala and Washington would be damaged.
Some donors were quick to punish Kampala by freezing or redirecting aid money, while Sweden鈥檚 Finance Minister Anders Borg, who visited Uganda on Tuesday, said it 鈥減resents an economic risk for Uganda鈥�.
But protestors in Kampala said they were more concerned about a more immediate and physical impact to themselves.
鈥淥ne of the dangers (of the anti-pornography law) is what you are seeing already, women being undressed鈥攂ut it is also a threat to us and our security as women,鈥� Akitang added.
鈥淭here is no definition of indecency in this bill. If you decide that in my trousers and my big bum I am being indecent, you would have all the right to put me into jail. For a mini-skirt, for an indecent outfit that has no definition?鈥濃��Emmanuel Leroux-Nega
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