Kampala Key, Vulnerable and Priority Populations (KVP) News

Fearing for their lives, LGBTIQQ in Uganda have shared stories, with the editor of this paper, of horror meted against them minutes after the Ugandan parliament announced they were re-introducing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. Right on the heels of the recent Ugandan Parliament session in which Members of Parliament agreed to re-introduce the Anti-Homosexuality, 15 different LGBTIQQ members expressed concern. “ I recall with a chill coursing down my back, the day I was evicted from a house I had lived in for three years up to 2011 after it was said the previous bill would be passed,” mused Carlton ( not real names). Carlton was referring to the 2011, event when Uganda's Parliament was consider the Anti-Homosexuality Bill the second time. This is the time when President Obama the 44th President of US, called the called the legislation “odious.” It should be recalled that Ugandan MP David Bahati first introduced a bill in 2009 that called for the death penalty for t...

127 clients, have asked me to provide guidance on the events surrounding staying negative, not giving others HIV and why some unknowingly or knowingly pass on HIV to others. We, at Most At Risk Populations' Society in Uganda (MARPS in Uganda) did pull up our past data to see how we dealt with these kinds of issues from the number of interface events we have had with clients. However, we choose to give you what others, especially legal minds say about this. An article by Aziza Ahmed, Beri Hull in the Human Rights Magazine of 2011 Vol. 38 sets the grounds within which we wanted to start and maintain the conversation. in it Aziza et al say: "HIV positive people live and work in a complicated array of circumstances that may or may not dictate that HIV disclosure is always the most appropriate response. People who are HIV negative might engage in a range of behaviors that require heightened responsibility over their own sexual health and life; however, circumstances such as...

Dear  Scott Chen CTO and Grindr Family; I am a friend. I have read the "Grindr Statement on HIV Data."  The month of April has its credence issues especially if something follows or falls on April 1st Fools Day. See:  https://grindr.tumblr.com/post/172528912083/heres-what-you-should-know-regarding-your-hiv. Please make the statement appear in the formal Grindr grandeur it deserves.  Like all statements or circulars of import do. Having said that, I noted the assurances your team shared and particularly:   3.        The HIV status and last test date information was used by Apptimize and Localytics only to provide services to Grindr. You raised a great point of contention in the legal and medical world. But, let me restrict myself to the medical world of which am very familiar. My understanding is that your team seeks to provide the best of services, what is called client comfort in the medical world. Whe...

A Letter to God Almighty Dear God on Earth, Below the Earth, in Spirit form, above the Earth and in our hearts. I come to you with supplication but at the same time knowing you are a doer. Do something. A Transgender person lies in blood wondering which side of the body to favor as every bone, joint and sinew is in pain after being beaten by an irate mob. An irate mob, stands in wait to clobber a Transgender person for one reason: the knowledge that beating this person will go unpunished. There is a camp where refugees are half sure of their security and safety. There is a person in charge who is aware no call will come through from Switzerland to question the ill-treatment of a Transgender Person. After all a stone thrown at the Transgender and bodily harm to a Transgender person is no crime at all, they seem to agree. There is a camp where one, two, three, four, five..............countless events of abuse have occurred and have been normalized. ...

A dedication to the Human Rights Defenders Anywhere in The World Yesterday, or was it last year? Never mind. I wake up everyday, no! We wake up everyday thinking and knowing we are beautiful. We see God in every creature. We even greet Jesus as He goes about His way. Yes, I am a Homosexual but I am as Godly as a Saint. No doubt about that! I love and care about my next door neighbour. As an Earthling, I do not want to waste life defining myself in the boundaries of   a man or woman legislator whose arm is swift to write me off than write me back to life.   So, I write my own script. I mobilized. We mobilized. They mobilized. We formed ourselves into a loving social support community. We are religious. We are affirming Lesbian, Gay, Transgender, Intersex, Bisexual, Queer and Questioning. We pray, play and pay it forward together.   We are reminded of verses from Cecil Frances Alexander: “All things bright and beautiful,  All creatures great and small...