Anti-Homo Bill Blow to Democracy?

VSO InternationalA bill that may be passed into law in Uganda has been criticised by human rights groups, it has been reported.

Overall, seventeen organisations have submitted a statement containing their protests and disapproval of the proposed changes, which would result in the death penalty for those who continue to engage in homosexual activity.

Ask yourself, who funds these groups that protested, and are they representative of all Ugandans? or are they self-interest groups?

Spokesperson for Sexual Minorities Uganda David Kato stated that the proposals are a "blow to democracy" in the country.

David Kato, a primary school headteacher is defiling young kids and recruiting them into homosexuality, using his position. I wonder how Ugandan's move to make their own law is a blow to democracy, it is ridiculous for other countries to even meddle in the Ugandan system, that is not democratic! And i thought Democracy is rule of Majority? 95% of Ugandans are opposed to homosexuality, what democracy are we talking about here?

"It goes against the inclusive spirit necessary for our economic as well as political development. Its spirit is profoundly undemocratic and un-African," he explained.

Human Rights Watch, the World AIDS Campaign and Amnesty International have also condemned the bill in recent months.

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the general consensus among activists is that the private members' bill will be passed with a few alterations, but little opposition from the country's budget donors.

The proposed bill should be passed by all means to strengthen our laws.

Kigezi Bishop: Homosexual Supporters support Colonialism

Daily Monitor,
Agitators and perpetrators of homosexuality are indirectly bringing back colonialism in Uganda, the Bishop of Kigezi Diocese Rt. Rev. George Katwesigye has said.

“Let no body be deceived of the big sums of money they (perpetrators of homosexuality) are promising because we would rather remain poor than sacrifice our culture and values,” he said.

Bishop Katwesigye told Daily Monitor that the public should not rush for quick wealth, saying the desire to amass riches through dubious ways is partly to blame for the infiltration of foreign cultures that target desperate Ugandans who end up spreading homosexuality to innocent people.

He took a swipe at corrupt government officials and urged them to accept their misdeeds and repent.

Bishop Katwesigye said as the 2011 general elections near, politicians should not impose their views on the electorate and the Church to enable people make own decisions.

Bunyoro king supports Anti-gay bill

Daily Monitor

Solomon Gafabusa Iguru, the Omukama of Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, has condemned homosexuality and declared support for the bill against the act.

The Omukama, who was today morning speaking to journalists in Hoima district, the seat of the kingdom, said that homosexuality is immoral and against African traditional norms and should not be allowed to take root in Uganda.

A known critic of colonialism and its influences in Uganda, the Omukama accused countries in the west for introducing homosexuality in Uganda. He said the negativity of colonialism was resurfacing due to the fact that many western countries are trying to impede the approval of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill.

The bill has received widespread condemnation across the world. The major bone of contention is that it prescribes the penalty of death for crimes described as ‘aggravated homosexuality’.

The Omukama also called on teachers in his kingdom to look out for children in their care by preventing homosexuality. He said that it was often at school that children were likely to learn and adapt homosexuality.

He called on Members of Parliament from his kingdom to fully back the Bill when it is presented to Parliament again.

Ugandan Parents want Anti-gay Bill enacted

Daily Monitor,


At least 100 parents, branding themselves as protectors of African traditional values, have came out to pressure the government to enact the Anti-Homosexuality Bill and ignore threats by donors to slash aid. “They (donors) can keep their money and we will still survive,” Ms Margaret Ssekidde, a concerned parent told journalists in Kampala at a news conference organised by the Family Life Network on Wednesday.

‘Not natural’
The organisation is on a campaign to restore waning indigenous family values, the Executive Director, Mr Stephen Langa, said, stressing that Ugandans will not trade their integrity and promote “unnatural sex” for cash offers from Western governments.

Separately, Archbishop Luke Orombi, a public critic of homosexuality, has said at that they are drafting specific contributions to the Bill now before Parliament. “I am surprised by the global reaction to the Anti-Homosexuality Bill because it is yet a proposal on table for Ugandans to look at,” the prelate said who was addressing a press conference at Namirembe.

US President Barack Obama said the proposed law, which prescribes death penalty for the most heinous gay-related offences, “goes against the tide of history”. Sweden has indicated that the Bill violates minority rights, adding that it will cut aid to Uganda if the Bill is passed into law.

Obama has no idea about history and Sweden, know that we now have our oil, and also cut ties with Saudi Arabia, UAE and most nations in the Arab world that have this a law like this. Allow us practise democracry

The State Minister for International Affairs, Mr Oryem-Okello, in an interview with Daily Monitor on Tuesday, described as “pre-mature and wrong” the chorus of international criticism based on a Private Member’s Bill.

Homosexuals threaten the Speaker of Parliament of Uganda

Daily Monitor, Kampala.

The Speaker of Parliament Edward Ssekandi has said he has recently been under intense pressure over the anti-homosexuality Bill that proposes severe punishments for same sex relationships.

The punishments are not severe, they are just the same as others in similar laws, yet homosexuality is more aggrevated.

While speaking to hundreds of Christians on Christmas Day at Lubaga Cathedral, where he represented the government, Mr Sekandi said: “I have received so many communications from abroad threatening and stressing that they shall not give us money if we support the anti-homosexuality Bill.”

Why should homosexuals threaten us with aid money, if it means getting money in exchange with homosexuality, they would rather stay with their money and we die in diginity like the Uganda Matyrs.

But the Speaker called for calm, saying the matter was being handled judiciously. Mr Ssekandi’s remarks came shortly after the author of the gay Bill, Ndorwa West MP David Bahati, reported to the Ministry of Internal Affairs that his life was in danger.

Mr Bahati says he now fears for his life following the disappearance of his cousin Emmanuel Mabonga. He said ever since he moved the Private Member’s Bill against homosexuality, he has been receiving death threats. It was not possible to verify his claims.

Mr Bahati’s law, tabled in Parliament on October 14, proposes death or life imprisonment for homosexuals, but it also proposes punishments for those who fail to report homosexuals to the authorities. The Bill is currently before the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee, which is yet to start public hearings.

President Museveni was recently reported to have told US authorities that he would veto the Bill, although his precise stance on the proposed law remains unclear. Several countries like the US, Britain, Canada and international human-rights organisations have described the proposed law as discriminatory, some threatening to withhold development assistance to Uganda if the Bill is passed. President Obama, in a recent statement to a gay publication, said the Bill moves “against the tide of history”.

Museveni's stance on the bill is clear, HE DOES NOT WANT HOMOSEXUALITY HERE. For Obama, he simply does not know what he is talking about, how can he say the bill is against the tide of history, when we know that because of homosexuality, the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed, Homosexuality is the only vice that caused fire from heaven to destroy cities. No community that embraces homosexuality has ever survived. So what history is Obama talking about?

But Mr Ssekandi, in his Christmas Day speech, explained that MP Bahati’s proposed Bill was not out of order. “In Parliament, any member is free to move a Private Member’s Bill. Since Bahati’s Bill is before the Parliamentary committee, it is going to gather people’s views and report back to the House,” he said.

The Archbishop, Dr Cyprian Lwanga Kizito, had earlier said the Bill was not necessary since there are already other existing laws against homosexuality. But Mr Ssekandi insisted that the committee shall weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the Bill and advise Parliament.

The proposed law just wants to make constitutional what is in the penal code, so what is all the fuss about?

Ugandan Pastors demand Rick Warren to apologize to them

Ugandan religious leaders under their umbrella of the National Task Force against Homosexuality have written to Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California demanding an apology following his comments on the anti-homosexuality bill and his letter to Ugandan Pastors.

“Your letter has caused great distress and we are demanding that you issue a formal apology for insulting the people of Africa by your very inappropriate bully use of your church and purpose driven pulpits to coerce us into the “evil” of Sodomy and Gaymorrah. This is expected within seven days from this date,” The letter reads. “Since the bible says that the giant of homosexuality is an “abomination” or a great evil, you cannot achieve the peace plan without a purpose driven confrontation of evil.”

Rick Warren came in the spotlight after he was linked to the bill as one of its funders through his friend Dr. Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church. He consequently said he cut ties with Ssempa in 2007 and then wrote a letter to Pastors in Uganda calling upon them to denounce the bill.

This infuriated the Pastors in Uganda have in addition held a peaceful demonstration in Kampala to demand an apology from Rick Warren, to support the President, the people and the government of Uganda in their stand against homosexuality. They have also threatened to burn his Purpose Driven Books in the streets of Kampala if he does not apologize in the given time.

“It is racist for one to think that a black man needs a white man to be told that homosexuality is evil,” Dr. Martin Ssempa was quoted as saying in reference to Rick Warren’s letter.

Bishop David Kiganda, the senior Pastor of Christianity Focus Centre and Chairman of the National Fellowship of Born Again Pentecostal Churches in Kampala region has also said, “He (Rick) has embarrassed us, gone against the word of God and it is a shame.”

On Friday 11th December 2009, more than 200 of Uganda’s top religious leaders met and supported the legislators in strengthening the law against homosexuality.
The National Task Force that is chaired by Dr. Martin Ssempa represents the National Fellowship of Born again Churches, The Seventh Adventists Church, The Uganda Joint Christian Council which also represents: The Orthodox Church in Uganda, The Roman Catholic Church in Uganda, The Islamic Office of Social Welfare in Uganda, and the Born Again Faith Federation.

“Rick you are our friend, we have bought many of your books and have been blessed by them. Do not let the pressure of bloggers and popular media intimidate you into becoming a negotiator for homosexual pedophilia rights in Africa” the letter adds.

Statement on Police Report about Ps. Kayanja’s Sodomy case

August 13, 2009

We are shocked at the conclusions of the Police report about Kayanja’s Sodomy case. The credibility of the investigations and the biased stand of the police leave many unanswered questions on the report. The same statement that the police made before is the same as in this report.

Everyone remembers well that even before investigations were started police already had a position. In the Sunday Vision of 17th May, 2009, the CID Chief described the allegations as baseless”, “fabricated” and “full of lies”. He also claimed that “…all six complainants who reported to the Police have retracted their complaints, saying they were set up by some pastors.” These statements were proved wrong when the complainants came up and said they had not retracted any statement.

The final report also based its investigations on Samson Mukisa, who the on Sunday 17th May 2009 appeared on UBC TV – Family Hour and said he had been forced to change his statement on gun point. Samson was later taken into police custody forcefully and denied access to a lawyer. He was then disguised and made to sign an extra- judicial statement.

The conduct of police with Samson Mukisa should be investigated and prosecuted. Now we are hearing Mukisa who is in police custody and Brain Ntwatwa being used on Super Fm to continue with the false allegations. Super Fm belongs to Ps. Ssematimba a colleague of Ps. Kayanja. The credibility of Samson Mukisa as a basis of the investigations makes the whole investigation biased following the way he was treated by police in the month of May.

The recommendations of police to prosecute the good Samaritans who helped the victims of sodomy to access justice and a credible hearing is misguided and sets a strong precedence that anyone who helps victims either of sexual abuse or accidents will be prosecuted. Therefore people are will stop giving a helping hand to anyone in danger or a victim of any circumstance.

The truth is that we had a credible reason to believe that what the victims were saying was true. It was not isolated evidence but a group of victims who had corresponding evidence said they were sodomized and joined by others to testify to the same.

However, this battle is not against Ps. Robert Kayanja, but a much bigger problem in the church. We have Pastors driving stolen cars, stealing mobile phones, stealing people’s money, defiling young girls, carrying guns into church, sodomizing boys, smuggling and several others. The Public and God are looking for Repentance and not defense of reputations.

We have written to the President on this matter and we appeal to parliament to help him to set up an independent commission of inquiry on this issue.
We shall continue to stand in confidence and boldness to fight the evils in our land of defilement, sodomy, child sacrifice, corruption and moral decay and we call upon everyone to pray with us to save our nation

Christains join Muslims to fight Homosexuality

Aaron Kirunda

The Muslim Leaders have joined the Christian leaders in Uganda under that National Coalition Against Homosexuality and other sexual abuses under a campaign called Kick sodomy out of Uganda.

"We are bound by the common desire and strong commitment to marriage between man and woman and the family that gives birth to children, regardless of our religious and denominational differences" Pastor Martin Ssempa one of christian leaders said.

"We have come together to defend our constitution and our culture to kick sodomy out of Uganda" Ssempa added.

Pastor Michael Kyazze of Omega Healing Centre also promised that they shall stand with and fight for the victims of sodomy and sexual abuse and work towards the elimination of sodomy and all forms of sexual abuse from schools, churches, prisons and communities.

In a joint statement the religious leaders said that they have been bothered by the failure of victims to access justice and the frustration of many by the police investigative machinery. They pledged to stand with the victims of homosexuality to rebuild their broken lives, save them from their silent pain, broken hearts and trauma by advocating for their justice, protecting them, and providing for them material and legal support.

They also pledged to work with all faith groups and government as partners in keeping the constitution of Uganda.

The weekend debate: How free should the press be?

Aaron Kirunda

The journalism symposium hosted on Tuesday by Makerere University's Mass Communication department threw up a number of interesting issues. Perhaps the most contentious debate was between The Independent’s Managing Editor Andrew Mwenda and Pastor Martin Ssempa over freedom of the press. Ssempa called for a “firewall” to be implemented by the government to protect Ugandan citizens from salacious and smutty material. In contrast Mwenda argued that the market should be left to decide which newspapers prosper and which go out of business.

So what role should the government play in censoring aspects of the press? Is the smut published in papers like The Onion, and the dead body photos in Bukedde, a price worth paying for a free press?

Comments

I definately agree with pastor sempa's idea of a firewall on press freedom.
It this so called freedom that has opened up young people to violence and
immorality. On the streets, everywhere you turn is polluted by pornographic
material and death, whose effect must not be left for the consumers to chose.
Remember most of these consumers do not even know how dangerous this material is
to them, yet they mix with the rest of society. Government should definitely tighten a bit to ensure media discipline.

Martin Ssempa attacks the Ugandan diaspora

You could never accuse Pastor Ssempa of mincing his words. In a public debate on professionalizing journalism on Tuesday (more of which later), Ssempa tore into Ugandans who have lived abroad for becoming “ideological sycophants”. He claimed they leave with one world-view and come back with another, having succumbed to “market forces of the soul” by taking scholarships at Western universities. Ssempa’s prime target was a change in moral attitude to issues like homosexuality, against which he has been leading a vocal campaign. He summed it up as follows: “Ugandans who go abroad are victims of Michael Jackson syndrome, they are born black but die white.”

So what does our readership in the diaspora think of this? Have you contracted the dreaded Michael Jackson syndrome?

Comments

Andrew Agaba: I tend to agree with Pastor Ssempa. I have seen journalists propagate worldviews that markedly contrast with local school of thought.

I do not know if Tabaire of Daily Monitor has lived in the diaspora, but certainly every one knows that Andrew Mwenda is an LSE alumni and Stanford alumni whose views on homosexuality are very inconsistent with majority Ugandans.

That said, Pastor Ssempa generalized, or perhaps was wrongly quoted, because so many Ugandans have lived abroad and have not become brainwashed. He himself has a second home in America.

Steely Sempa ... what a clown !

Andrew Agaba You must be a clown yourself to take Ssempa for a clown. Or they would say you drunk too many a kool aid.

Isaac Eyalama True. Ssempa is really a true African. Many Africans go to the west and turn out
un African. Some forget that they were products of a heterosexual union and
instead begin to adopt or approve of sodomy forgetting that allowing sodomites
to marry is completely contrary to the customs, history and culture of all
societies throughout Africa.

Byasi: i Totally agree with Ssempa,,he has lived there and knows what is going on,,and spending time with such individuals,i've also seen the change,our society doesn't tolerate homosexuality

Maloba Isaac: The worst someone should be colonised is his mind. i wonder why some so called
learned friends and the enlightened seem to even ignore common sense that
positives repel while the negative and positive attract. Homesexuality has never
been way of life but a confusion some people purpose to practise then they seek
to convince everyone that they were born that way. The west colonised Africa but
i wiil never allow my mind to be colonised by utter confusion, wickedness and
abomination.

Steely: Sempa....clown..no? Alright then, how about a plain-ignorant-extremist and hate-monger!

Kankaka Edward Nelson: Steely, we notice you have a definite phobia for the truth and an enemy to what
is right. No mater which defence you give yourself, bad will always remain bad
whether you agree or not. My suggestion is that you revise your ideology and
ask God to remove the blindfold so you can see the truth.

bombokajb: i want to agree with Pr. Ssempa and one of the things i have observed is the
question of wether we are cowards or not. Back home there are things in Africa
that can't be even pronounced through the lips. So really "tukomewo
e'ka"...

steely bambi "golokoka oyake" naye tuswala its a shame and to all of us
as creature in God's image

Uganda: Muslims Join Pastors in Gay Fight

Aaron Kirunda

Kampala — Muslims have teamed up with their counterparts from the Pentecostal churches to fight homosexuality in Uganda. The leader of the Muslim Tabliqs,the most fundamental Muslim group, Sheikh Sulaiman Kakeeto, said the issue of homosexuality affects all people regardless of their religious affiliations.

"We have decided to make a bond with our fellow religious leaders to fight homosexuality," Sheikh Kakeeto said at the launch of a campaign dubbed 'Kick Sodomy out of Uganda' in Kampala on Wednesday. "We want to work together and eliminate sodomy and other forms of sexual abuses in our society."

The two groups signed an agreement to guide their operations. Sheikh Kakeeto and Sheikh Muhammad Badru, the chairman the National Da'awa Association, signed on behalf of Muslims while pastors Michael Kyazze (Omega Healing Centre), Martin Ssempa (Makerere Community Church) and Solomon Male (Arising for Christ) signed on behalf of born again Christians. Sheikh Kakeeto called on the government to strengthen the law on homosexuality and incarcerate those caught in the act.

Pastor Ssempa said the coalition intends to embark on a campaign to sensitize communities about "the dangers of homosexuality." "We shall offer counsel ling, legal and material support to the affected people," he said.

The Muslim leaders also said that according to the quran, homosexuality is punishable by death in all its forms, from stoning to burning, if some one is convicted of the act.

Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and this coalition that was formed strengthens the efforts of Ugandans to fight this vice. According to an independent survey by stead man group. 95% of Ugandans do not support homosexuality at all and the rest were not sure.

Martin Ssempa on Michael Jackson

Aaron Kirunda

A public memorial service for Pop Star Michael Jackson was held on Tuesday at Staples Centre in California. But before this, Ugandans had converged at several bars to mourn the man who brought the moonwalk. The organizers included Pastors Peter Ssematimba and Martin Ssempa. Among the people in attendance was veteran educationist Fagil Mande. Before your jaw drops, yes, Uganda once boasted of real dancers. They may be a bit thick around the waist now, but decades ago, they could wriggle, moonwalk, break-dance and shake it. Some, like Sematimba, still do.
I cannot imagine the Rubaga Division Chairman or the now burly sports journalist Mark Ssali spinning at 360 degrees. But they once did.

Pastor Martin Ssempa

Before Pr. Ssempa went about preaching the gospel and fighting homosexuality, he was a dancer. He used to do it like Michael Jackson too and confesses that “I used to watch MJ videos when I was part of the All African Disco Championship in 1986. I was his fan and apart from his crotch-grabbing, I thought his dancing was inspirational.”
At these national and regional (East African) competitions, he emerged winner.
“I wanted to watch the competition but did not have money so I joined the competition as a participant. I hoped that I wouldn’t have to go through [it all] since I didn’t think I could dance and hoped people would boo me off [the] stage. They didn’t and I won.”

Pr. Ssempa still dances and if you want to catch him doing his thing, then you should visit his church, Makerere Community Church or catch him at a Papa San Concert or Prime Time at the Makerere Swimming Pool. He admits though that he is an “off-layer” when it comes to “break dance”. He does not divide the world into secular and sacred therefore he does not think that holding memorials for MJ is secular. Well, that rests our case over what he was doing on WBS’ Jam Agenda then. He was mourning a great man.

Uganda Human Rights Commission investigates Sodomy allegations

The pastors accused of defaming Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Center by alleging that he engaged in sodomy of some of his male followers have welcomed the intervention of the Uganda Human Rights Commission into the case.

Pastors Solomon Male of Arise for Christ, Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church and Mike Kyazze of Omega healing Center say it is important that the UHRC has started hearing cases of the young men who were allegedly sodomised.

Pastor Male said he appeared before the UHRC panel investigating the matter yesterday and gave them information on how the alleged sodomy victims approached him for help.

He says the pastors are ready to cooperate with the UHRC and the police to ensure the vice of sodomy and homosexuality in the church are being investigated.

Male was speaking today at Central Police Station where Pastor Kyazze was questioned over giving false evidence against Pastor Robert Kayanja by alleging that Kayanja is involved in sodomy. Male and Ssempa were questioned over the same matter last month.

Pastor Kyaze said the police and other authorities should focus on the young men who alleged they were sodomised by Pastor Kayanja and not the pastors who are helping the young men get justice. Kyazze says the police is treating the pastors as criminals yet they only demanded for justice for the alleged sodomy victims.

Pastor Kyazze quizzed over Sodomy

ANOTHER pastor was yesterday questioned, bringing to five the number of clergy interrogated over allegations of sodomy against Pastor Robert Kayanja.

Felix Ssemujju of Omega Healing Centre in Namasuba, a Kampala suburb, arrived at the Kampala Central Police Station at 10:00am and addressed journalists.

Ssemujju said last November, one of Kayanja’s accusers, Samson Mukisa, approached him and narrated his ordeal.
“He told me that Kayanja had sodomised him. I counselled and prayed for him. I also advised him to make a statement,” he told the journalists.

He however, denied allegations that Mukisa, who has since withdrawn his statement, was promised trips to Sweden among other goodies if he tarnished Kayanja’s name.

Flanked by Pastor Solomon Male, he appealed to sodomy victims to seek assistance.

Other pastors who have been questioned over Kayanja’s woes are Male, Michael Kyazze, Bob Kayiira and Martin Ssempa.

Kayanja who has also been questioned by the Police denies the allegations.

CID officers dropped from sodomy inquiry

Andrew Bagala

Kampala: Two senior detectives have been dropped from the investigations into sodomy allegations against Pastor Robert Kayanja of Rubaga Miracle Centre.

Weeks after President Museveni criticised the Criminal Investigations Directorate’s handling of the inquiry, in which seven people are accusing Pastor Kayanja, the police has assigned, Ms Grace Akullo, the head of the narcotics unit, to take over the case, replacing Mr Venacio Tumuhimbise and Mr Amos Munyeneza.

One of the alleged victims, Mr Samson Mukisa had accused Mr Munyeneza of forcing him to retract a statement.

Pastor Kayanja was early this year accused by six victims - Mukisa, James Ntwatwa, Ronny Mutebi, David Mukalazi, Akansiime and Robinson Matovu of sodomising them while they served in his church.

GRILLED: Pastor Kyazze (L) at Central Police Station in Kampala on Tuesday. PHOTO BY YUSUF MUZIRANSA

However CID chief Edward Ochom later cleared Pastor Kayanja and instead chose to investigate the alleged victims and pastors Michael Kyazze, Martin Ssempa, Solomon Male, Annet Kyomuhendo and Bob Kayiira accusing them of setting up Pastor Kayanja.

President Museveni’s intervention, after the pastors criticised the Police conduct, forced the Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Kale Kayihura, to convene a meeting of the warring parties in which the CID was directed to conduct the inquiry in a more professional manner.

Pastor Kyazze was on Tuesday interrogated for seven hours at the Central Police Station. The Police also summoned another pastor, Felix Ssemujju, who allegedly received the victims at Omega Healing Centre in Namasuba, to appear at CPS today.

But Pastor Kyazze said he does not believe in the Police inquiry. He said an independent commission should be established to investigate sodomy in the country.

“We shall not stop to talk for the victims of abuse. The issue is not Kyazze or Ssempa or Male. The issue is about the victims of sodomy,” he said.
Pastor Kyazze added: “I told the detective what I know about the sodomy victims and told them that nothing will prevent us from fighting homosexuality.”

Mulago awards Midwives

By Francis Kagolo

Mulago Hospital has introduced monthly awards for midwives.

The head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department, Josephat Byamugisha, said the awards are intended to motivate midwives to offer quality services.

The programme was initiated and funded by the Midwives Empowered, a local NGO run by Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere University Community Church.

Mary Grace Akao, 37, on Friday won the inaugural award worth sh100,000 and a certificate.

Mulago has one of the busiest maternity wards, with about 30,000 deliveries every year.

“We are only 62 midwives. We earn sh280,000 per month, yet we are not given lunch,” said Rose Nakayiza, the in-charge of the maternity ward.

“A midwife can spend a day on duty without having lunch, yet there are several mothers to attend to.”

Several reports have indicated that many new-born babies die at the hospital, a problem attributed to the poor attitude of midwives towards mothers in labour.

Presenting the award, Byamugisha said: “We deliver between 60 and 80 mothers every day. Only a motivated team of midwives can handle such a high number of women.”

Ssempa urged the Government to invest more in improving the welfare of midwives and health workers.

Pastor Ssempa challenges other Pastors to speak out on Homosexuality

Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere Community Church has attacked colleagues in the Pentecostal movement of conspiring to remain silent on matters of sexual abuse in the church.

Sempa, who is one of the pastors crusading against sodomy in the Church, claims the problem will persist in the church if pastors do not come out openly to condemn.

He says many pastors are secretly calling and encouraging him but they can not come out to join him for fear of being labelled enemies to pastor kayanja and others who have been accused of sodomizing followers.

Sempa also advises the elders in the Pentecostal churches to advise Kayanja to resolve the matters within the church system because he himself chose to drag his accusers to court.

Empowered Midwives

Mulago Hospital has introduced monthly awards for midwives.
The head of the obstetrics and gynaecology department, Josephat Byamugisha, said the awards are intended to motivate midwives to offer quality services.

The programme was initiated and funded by the Midwives Empowered, a local NGO run by Pastor Martin Ssempa of Makerere University Community Church.
Mary Grace Akao, 37, on Friday won the inaugural award worth sh100,000 and a certificate.

Mulago has one of the busiest maternity wards, with about 30,000 deliveries every year.

“We are only 62 midwives. We earn sh280,000 per month, yet we are not given lunch,” said Rose Nakayiza, the in-charge of the maternity ward.

“A midwife can spend a day on duty without having lunch, yet there are several mothers to attend to.”

Several reports have indicated that many new-born babies die at the hospital, a problem attributed to the poor attitude of midwives towards mothers in labour.

Presenting the award, Byamugisha said: “We deliver between 60 and 80 mothers every day. Only a motivated team of midwives can handle such a high number of women.”

Ssempa urged the Government to invest more in improving the welfare of midwives and health workers.

The Impact of Obama's declaration on Homosexuality

By Sharon Slater,
President Family Watch International

True to his campaign promises, President Obama has now established himself as a leader in the homosexual rights movement. By presidential proclamation he has declared the month of June in the United States as “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.” (You can read the entire declaration below)

His declaration proudly boasts that Obama is the first president to appoint “openly LGBT candidates to Senate-confirmed position in his first 100 days in office,” and then outlines the work that he intends to do to further the sexual rights agenda at home and abroad.

While he stops short of stating he will fight for same-sex marriage, he announces that he has joined the United Nations efforts to “decriminalize homosexuality around the world,” and declares that he will “continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans.”

Some of the measures he lists include “enhancing hate crimes laws, supporting civil unions and Federal rights for LGBT couples, outlawing discrimination in the workplace, ensuring adoption rights, and ending the existing ‘Don't Ask, Don't Tell’ policy in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security.”

To examine just one of these initiatives, Obama’s plan to overturn the ban on homosexuality in the U.S. military, let’s look to current U.S. law, which explains why the ban exists. Public Law 103-160, Section 654, Title 10 states:

Members of the armed forces experience “living conditions and working conditions that are often spartan, primitive, and characterized by forced intimacy with little or no privacy,” therefore, “the prohibition against homosexual conduct is a long-standing element of military law that continues to be necessary in the unique circumstances of military service.”

The law further explains that, “The presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.”

According to the Center for Military Readiness, of those polled by the Military Times, 59 percent of active duty U.S. military personnel who responded, continue to support the current ban on homosexuality in the military as strongly as they have in the past three years.

The Military Times also found that if Congress repeals the statute, almost 10 percent of survey respondents would leave the military and another 14 percent would consider leaving. This is because if the ban is repealed, men and women will be required to cohabitate with homosexuals in all branches of the service or risk being dismissed.

This would be the consequence of just one of the policies Obama is advancing to promote the sexual rights agenda.

All of the initiatives that Obama proposes in his declaration advance the “rights” of one group of people at the expense of the rights of other groups. For example, children who will never have the opportunity to have both a father and a mother if they are adopted by same-sex couples and business owners that may have moral or religious objections to homosexuality but who will be forced to provide services in ways that support the sexual rights agenda if they want to avoid discrimination lawsuits.

Just last week, Obama appointed one of the key leaders of the homosexual “rights” movement, Kevin Jennings, to the federal office overseeing school safety in the United States. Jennings is a founder of GLSEN, an organization that promotes the sexual rights agenda in laws and in the public schools. He is responsible for promoting the “day of silence,” engaged in by students across the U.S., where students go to school and refuse to speak to protest discrimination against homosexuals. Jennings is now in a position to more aggressively promote that program as well as other sexual rights initiatives in the public schools.

This proclamation must be a wakeup call to those defending the family in the U.S. and abroad. The “sexual rights agenda” is now a more serious threat in the U.S. and abroad as a result of Obama’s personal advocacy.

A sad story!! President Obama declares June 'LGBT Pride month

By Bruce Wells

In a presidential proclamation on the White House website, Barack Obama has lauded what he calls "the determination and dedication" of the LGBT movement by proclaiming June as "Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month." "The LGBT rights movement has achieved great progress," Obama states in the official proclamation, "but there is more to be done."

The president also takes pride in being the first U.S. chief executive to appoint "openly LGBT" candidates tSenate-confirmed positions in the first 100 days of an administration. He uses the proclamation to emphasize LGBT-related initiatives that he intends to pursue in the future -- both domestically and internationally.

"I have joined efforts at the United Nations to decriminalize homosexual around the world," he states. "Here at home, I continue to support measures to bring the full spectrum of equal rights to LGBT Americans."

Among those measures he lists "hate crimes" laws, civil unions, discrimination in the workplace, adoption rights, and ending the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy "in a way that strengthens our Armed Forces and our national security."

This, from a President who disdains America and all for which it stands. Sadly, it's yet just another stab in the heart of America's moral and religious fibers. Contrast John Adams who prayed that "only righteous men rule this country" to where we are now.

Why stop at LGBT Pride Month, why not have APM (Alcoholics Pride Month) or ACPM (Adultery and Covetous Pride Month). Why not Pedophilia and Bestiality Month? Maybe that will come later in the year. Isn't it amazing that under the Obama Administration, the National Day of Prayer last month barely got a presidential nod, yet sin gets a whole month.

If the Lord God Almighty does not bring judgment against the United States of America, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah!

So let me ask all of you who voted for Mr. Obama and "change", are you still proud of your president or would you like to have your vote back? Homosexuality is nothing to be proud of -- bottom line. The fact is people have left the lifestyle, people have overcome homosexuality [with God's help] -- I think that's something to be proud of.

My friends, this is absolutely disgraceful and sad. We as Christians, must continue to reach out to homosexuals with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We also need to pray for the souls of our unbelieving leadership. They are totally blind to the destruction that Satan has for them.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus!