Ms Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera:

We are compiling facts on violations, arrests, illegal detentions and every abuse the LGBT community has faced to help us challenge the current laws in court. According to the research, eight people have been charged under the law. Many people have been arrested and have not been charged with sodomy, which is the usual charge, but with disorder, for example. It is another law that is used to disguise why one is being arrested. There have been cases in which people have been arrested because they have been blackmailed. The police extorted a lot of things from them because they are homosexuals. The police have refused to outline the charges; they just lock up and release the suspects. The police have failed to tell us why they arrested the individuals in the first instance.

There was a reference to media censorship being such that we cannot even go out and share our stories. When we do so, we are told we are promoting an illegal practice. That is why we want to start the process of decriminalisation. It will not cover all our problems but at least give us avenues to do our work without being called criminals.

Consider President Museveni's comment that he and his Government do not support the Bill. It is great because if the country and people pushing for the legislation hear the President is not supportive of it, it carries a lot of weight. However, the President called together his ruling party and advised it that it should go slow on the issue. Its members walked out on him in protest because they say he is being bribed and is bending to pressure. However, as I said, even if the President refuses to sign the Bill, or if he vetoes the Bill if it is supported in the Parliament, the Parliament can overpower him because it is a Private Members' Bill.