The leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi, has criticised United Nations (UN) Secretary General Antonio Guterres for not speaking out on human rights infringements in Uganda, especially the rights of the LGBTQ people.
Kyagulanyi, whom the west recognises as a gay rights activist in Africa, expressed his dissatisfaction with the UN Secretary General on X, accusing him of being silent on the continued violation of gay rights in Uganda while he attended the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, which recently closed on January 20, 2024.
“Mr. UN Secretary General, Your presence in Africa (specifically in Uganda) would have made more sense if you addressed the real issues—gross human rights violations,” Kyagulanyi posted, insinuating that Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law, which has a death penalty for aggravated homosexuality, is a gross human rights violation.
This is one of the several occasions where Kyagulanyi has condemned Uganda’s anti-homosexuality law and called on the international community to reprimand Uganda over it. While being interviewed by the BBC in December 2023, he said that he does not support the law since it was brought by President Museveni to witch-hunt the opposition.
However, in response to Kyagulanyi’s attack on the UN Secretary General, deputy Presidential Press Secretary Farouk Kirunda lashed out at Kyagulanyi for his lack of knowledge about statecraft, adding that the UN Secretary-General is well-placed to know exactly what goes on anywhere in the world and is well-versed with human rights and Uganda’s true record, to engage with stunt masters seeking to attract cheap attention when the world is discussing genuine issues of concern.
