Ugandans hold anti-gay protest

Kampala – Hundreds of people held an anti-gay protest in Uganda’s capital yesterday and called for the deportation of an American journalist who covers gay issues in the east African nation.

Pastor Martin Ssempa, spokesperson for the Interfaith Rainbow Coalition Against Homosexuality, said: “Homosexuality breaks the laws of God, the laws of nature and the laws of Uganda. “We are asking the government to be strong and uphold the laws of our country banning this repugnant practice in spite of great external pressure.”Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.A coalition of religious groups, including Christians, Muslims and Bahai, organised the protest.Hundreds of people gathered at a Kampala sports ground waving banners with anti-gay messages, including posters that said ‘Deport Roubos’.Katherine Roubos, a 22-year-old from Minnesota, arrived in the East African nation in June to begin a three-month internship with the Daily Monitor newspaper.She was assigned to cover gay issues in the country.Eddie Semakula, a member of the Interfaith Rainbow Coalition Against Homosexuality, said: “We people of Uganda have values.If this lady cannot respect them then she had better be deported.He said the group was writing a protest letter to the Aga Khan – the spiritual leader of 20 million Ismaili Muslims – who owned the Monitor newspaper.Last week, Uganda’s gay community spoke out publicly for the first time at a news conference in Kampala.Nampa-AP”We are asking the government to be strong and uphold the laws of our country banning this repugnant practice in spite of great external pressure.”Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda and carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.A coalition of religious groups, including Christians, Muslims and Bahai, organised the protest.Hundreds of people gathered at a Kampala sports ground waving banners with anti-gay messages, including posters that said ‘Deport Roubos’.Katherine Roubos, a 22-year-old from Minnesota, arrived in the East African nation in June to begin a three-month internship with the Daily Monitor newspaper.She was assigned to cover gay issues in the country.Eddie Semakula, a member of the Interfaith Rainbow Coalition Against Homosexuality, said: “We people of Uganda have values.If this lady cannot respect them then she had better be deported.He said the group was writing a protest letter to the Aga Khan – the spiritual leader of 20 million Ismaili Muslims – who owned the Monitor newspaper.Last week, Uganda’s gay community spoke out publicly for the first time at a news conference in Kampala.Nampa-AP