A play suggesting there may be hidden agendas behind politicians' anti-gay rhetoric has been banned.
Since Ugandan MP David Bahati proposed an anti-homosexuality bill in October 2009 that included provisions for capital punishment for homosexuals, Uganda has earned a reputation as one of the most homophobic countries in the world. Media and arts regulators lived up to that billing in August by banning The River and the Mountain, a play that charts a gay man's difficulties confronting intolerance in Ugandan society.
However the most controversial aspect of the play is not homosexuality per se, but rather the suggestion the work makes that politicians and religious interests may have manufactured a viciously anti-gay climate in Uganda to further their own agendas.
An inspector calls
The River and the Mountain was due to run at three venues in Kampala from August 17-26. However on August 16, the day before the opening, the Ugandan Media Council informed producer David Cecil that it would require seven working days to review the script and grant clearance for the play to be staged. In a letter copied to the Minister for Ethics, the Commissioner of Police in Charge of Media Violations and the Central Police Station, the Media Council wrote that "in the meantime this play is not to be staged in any theatre or public place in Uganda".
The experienced cast of The River and the Mountain said that such a demand for clearance was almost unheard of in Ugandan theatre, but Secretary of the Media Council Pius Mwinganisa insisted that the requirement was standard practice.
But Ethics Minister Simon Lokodo told Think Africa Press that he would not allow the play to be staged because "it makes statements that are not welcome". The ban was in place he said because "the play is justifying the promotion of this abomination [homosexuality] in Uganda". He added that he had decided, in conjunction with the Media Council, to investigate the individuals behind the play. "If these investigations reveal that there was intent to promote homosexuality in Uganda, they will be dealt with, with criminal prosecution if necessary", he explained.
Waiting for Tullow
Central to The River and the Mountain is the implication that anti-gay sentiments have been, to some extent, cynically manufactured by Machiavellian politicians and religious leaders. When asked about this, Lokodo refused to discuss the suggestion that Bahati launched his anti-homosexuality crusade as a means for furthering his political career and the interests of evangelical backers from the US. Bahati was unavailable for comment.
Question marks have been raised, however, over the timing of the introduction of the anti-homosexuality bill, which coincided with some of the first public questioning of the terms of the oil deals signed by the Ugandan government with Tullow Oil and Heritage Oil & Gas. These deals would prove extremely contentious over the following years, but the controversies - potentially highly damaging to the ruling National Resistance Movement party of which Bahati is a member - were largely ignored by an international media focussing on the anti-homosexuality bill which also made Bahati famous.
The oil deal brought further controversy with accusations of corruption flying in from both parties to the contract and towards the end of 2010, Tullow Vice-President for Africa Tim O'Hanlon was forced into an unconvincing retreat after a Wikileaks cable indicated that he had accused Ugandan ministers of accepting bribes. At that time, however, international media attention had honed in on the story of the Ugandan newspaper publishing images of homosexuals under the headline "Hang them". A few months later in January 2011, gay rights activist David Kato was murdered.
Angels in America?
Bahati has been linked by journalist Jeff Sharlet to 'The Family', a secretive American evangelical political group that wields a powerful influence over a number of lawmakers in Washington, advising senior government figures in its 'C Street House'. Various news reports have identified American anti-gay activists giving encouragement and support to the anti-gay lobby in Uganda.
In The River and the Mountain, an American preacher comes to advise a would-be politician attempting to stir up anti-homosexual sentiment in order to ride to power on a wave of intolerant, sensationalist rhetoric. The preacher helps design the campaign, including coming up with a catchy song title and bragging: "Before I was called, I was in advertising".
The River and the Mountain playwright Beau Hopkins says that this was a humorous means of drawing attention to how the debate over homosexuality is manipulated in Uganda. "Western human rights groups are funding the LGBT activists - that's fine, of course, they need all the help they can get - while US religious interests are funding the anti-gay lobby. The cashiers on both sides are Western," he explains. "I wanted to show the essentialising power of this rhetoric, which is a western ideological battle being fought on Ugandan soil. Ultimately, Christianity was brought here by the West, but now it is seen as so personal, essential and national. People say 'homosexuality is wrong in all African societies'."
Private lives
Despite Lokodo's claim that The River and the Mountain promotes homosexuality, the actors insist that the play only aims to open up space for discussion. While the Media Council's ban meant that the three performances scheduled at the National Theatre in Kampala were cancelled, the play was performed - illegally, according to Ugandan authorities - at two smaller locations in Kampala.
"Homosexuality is a hot topic in Uganda and it will take time for people to accept this kind of public debate," commented audience member James Mugisha, adding "for me, as long as homosexuals keep their activities private I don't have a problem". Francesca Tebitendua agreed, saying, "If homosexuals keep things behind closed doors, it's okay". While not fully accepting of homosexuality, very few people were willing to castigate it in Bahati's terms.
Some also expressed sympathy for the plight of the gay community in Uganda. "Homosexuals are used as scapegoats by politicians," said a man on condition of anonymity. Many Ugandans in the audience, and the actors themselves, reiterated this point. "All the talk about homosexuality distracts from the real issues," said actress Aidah Nalubowa, who plays a journalist. "People are just taking advantage of the issue." Mpaata Rogers William Otako, who plays a fire-and-brimstone pastor, agreed, commenting, "We have bad roads, bad hospitals, but none of that is caused by homosexuals. The politicians need to focus on the real problems."
Look back in anger
For now, though, it appears that the emotive issue of homosexuality will continue to be used as a political football. Bahati's bill, briefly abandoned in August 2011 but resurrected at the start of 2012, remains at the committee stage in parliament, not yet been debated and voted on by MPs. It will likely stay there for some time as the Ugandan executive attempts to negotiate a path between placating the anti-gay lobby on one side and the international community on the other.
While the extremist rhetoric of Bahati and his supporters may not represent the opinions of most Ugandans, it will continue to be heard, thanks to domestic political expediency, but probably not acted upon for fear of upsetting donors. But, as David Kato's murder proved, unchecked rhetoric can nevertheless have devastating consequences.
Peter Jones is a freelance journalist working in east and central Africa, with a particular concentration on eastern Congo. He has written for various international media outlets, including the Guardian, Radio Netherlands Worldwide and Africa Confidential. His focus is on African politics and on natural resource governance and management. He is based in Kampala, Uganda.
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This article is quite amusing, what I am hearing is that with American evangelical christians they have prvented what naturaly would be a homosexual Africa. Is this laughable or wishful thinking? Every single country bar one is vehemently opposed to homosexuality.Malawi was forced into relaxations of the laws in or5der to get aid.What does that have to say about Africa? African cultures new and lost old and forgotten have based thier entire integrity with the barring punishments of such dysfunctional behaviour. What we contiue to see is a S.Africa cynically trying to promote ths diabolical sinsiter preactice to Africans. This is unhealthy its unatural its against even the laws of nature. Tell me where is your large arena fo parks do you see packs of homosexual animals? This would not even be acceptabel much les practiced by animals.If animals knows that thjese things are not a functional behaviour ; it odes not contiue life its a handicap it is nothing but lust and a abomination.Wizer than you and I have mentioned these practices that goes back time immorial, yet we see the dictates of western powers who enjoyed these sick prasctices during the Roman period of complete perversions, eirotica was part and parcel of being an aristocrat in Rome. Rome was the most corrupt until western powers have adapted thier behaviours and are trying to pass them along to Africans who they know have very little will for such demonic behaviour. I have heard western preist speek that Jesus and his diciples were involed in "erotica" now if this is not blaspheme then what is ???!!! Africa is being reintroduced to imperialism thru the talk of democarcy which is being used by the west to control African resources, so they adminsiter these sinister ideologies to be introduced to Africa making the people docile less involved with the political welfare of the people and their very rights/!!!!. Make no mistake this somehtingt that thge poeople ofAfrica have witnessed the destruction of these policy thousand and thousands of years ago!!!.Many Africans still find it hard to grasp that the bible they read is the bible that wass written by the black prophets who continued to shape the moral wize integrity that was the fundamentals of African civilizations. This is why Africans ruled the world for millionms of years.Righetousness integrity morality intellect equality jsutice virtue these are the thinsg that African civilizations stood for; so when we hear this foolish talk about evangelical s guing Africans as if they were truly lost and needs the help of these confused people to show us the way to wize intellect. Africa is evolving the earth was created by the 2 MOST WIZE THE SEER OF ALL TIMES TODAY YESTERDAY TOMMOROW KNOWER OF ALL THINGS" with the intellect of "Our Craetor" everything we see is by design, Afr4ica is evolving not because whgites hgave allowed us to but we have been exposed to truth reality ad the 'truth is clear' "What was hidden from wize and prudent shall be revealed to babes and sucklings" What Africans are not by virue corrupt, they had many things in place that was destroyed by whites telling them they werte savages they were nothing but slaves. We had circuncision which prevented both male and female from becomming lustful perverted disease ridden and morality was profound, pollygamy prevented rapes and again perversions. Africans would look at the human anatomy without the same feelimgs and arousals that were rpevalent in western societies. Rape was a thing that wa introduced into Africa by the same people who called the African savage. These same people are now introducing thier barabric iniquity into Africa which is being rejected by over a billion people. The world we created in south Asia has also rejected this idea of homosexuality as a norm. What many of whom do not sight the truth shoudl recognise that Africa is the father of all religions both ISRAEL ISLAM, THESE ARE THE TWO RELIGIONS THAT ARE IN PROFOUND RELEVANCE TO WHAT WAS THE IDEOLGY OF MONOTHEISM. Our Hindu brothers left Africa many thousands of years ago they were cow worshipers which they still are today. Again we went into these nations and brought back the redemption of ISAREL which we taught in the name of ISLAM"" We also brought ISDLAM to Europe which was rejected!! They then packaged and brought to Africa a new revised verison of the teachings of ISRAEL which we know today as Cchristianity'They mixed it with a little Hindu a little Paganand ofcoursew they have refined it with sodomy an all inclusive what not to do!!!!!!! So be very carefull if you think Africans are blind and are b;lindly following hre cultism of evangelicals; wht is to bew reminded about these evangelicals they are white suprmacist so this will eventually wear thin in Africa as the idea that they are born inequal or that anyone is superiro to them will enver be accepted!! Give Africa its due they are returning to the teachings of truth!! which will prevail, they will surrender thier white gods thier white angels and know that the souls of man have no colour and they will be judged by the "ALLMIGHTY GOD" solely on their action on thier hearts and on their thoughts!!!!!!!!!!!!!