Dozens of Ugandans take part in a Pride parade

Dozens of Ugandans took part in a Pride parade yesterday, one year after a law that meant homosexuals would be jailed for life was overturned, Reuters reported.

The march was held at a secluded beach in Entebbe, a coastal town southwest of the capital city of Kampala. About 70 people participated, wearing rainbows and bearing banners, some of which said “I have a relationship with Jesus and I’m gay”.

“For us, this is a celebration of who we are – celebrating our lives, also celebrating with our friends and allies,” one of the organisers, Richard Lusimbo, told the AFP. “There has been some progress, the law was nullified and this also opened a new chapter in how we are doing advocacy.”

Reuters quoted Moses Kimbugwe, one of the marchers, as saying, “We are here to send a message to the wider population that we do exist and we want rights like any other Ugandan. We think this is a step moving forward.”

But as much as the Pride march was a victory for the Ugandan LGBT community, it was still set against a backdrop of hostility and homophobia. Homosexuality remains a crime in Uganda, punishable by a prison sentence.

One marcher, identified only as Mariam, was unwilling to be identified publicly as gay. She told Reuters it was “exciting” to march with her fellow LGBTs, but she was afraid of being found out. Mariam said, “I would never ever reveal my gay lifestyle to my parents or friends. They would denounce me.”