Shame on Uganda’s President Museveni, Tourism Leaders Warn, was first published by eTurboNews, after the president signed the strictest anti LGBTQ law in the world on Tuesday.
Responses from travel industry leaders, government officials, and concerned travelers had been pouring in.
Surprisingly not all postings on an ongoing headed discussion on the World Tourism Network Africa WhatsApp group condem this law. It appears those against it are mostly silent, making this public discussion prominently an endoresement for Uganda’s lead in Africa to execute members of the LGBTQ community for “Aggrevated gayness.”
While Uganda members remain silent, support for the Uganda Anti LGBTQ law comes in from travel professionals in Kenya, and Nigeria.
Privately WTN members and eTurboNews readers from Uganda applauded the outrcy by the world, but are worried about speaking out.
Because of Ugandans unable to speak out, some in other African country see this an endorsement and drum the hate bell even harde.
Devna Pandit of Boma Trave in Kenya said:
Someone should raise their voice in defense of the Ugandan President’s & the Ugandan people’s right to choose their stand in this & any other issue.
The publisher of “Best of Nigeria Travel Magazine” did exactly this in saying:
For the records, LGQBT have no place in African cultures and traditions and no amount of blackmail will change that.
Anyone who is not okay with maintaining our cultures and traditions as well as our sanity as human beings can stay away from Africa. Where one man’s right stops is where another man’s right starts. Africa cannot be cajoled into accepting “absurd” behaviors of the west in the name of “human right”. We have come of age.
We will even promote death sentence, not even imprisonment for LGBTQ behaviors.
Best of Nigeria Travel Magazine
Those that don’t want to do business with Africa because of our values should stay away. We abhor LGQBT with a passion.
Please leave the matter where it belongs in the wild wild west NOT in Africa. We don’t, we can’t and will NOT accept it. Jail awaits offenders.
The verdict across Africa is clear. We do not want LGQBT in our communities. Promote it elsewhere NOT in Africa.
Devna Pandit, a tour operator in Kenya added:
We in Africa need to listen to this carefully before we cast our vote and agree with WTM or any other FORUM , to shame Uganda for refusing to accept what the West is trying to foist on us.
Respectfully, to the officials of this forum. It is no disrespect to those who are wilful and old enough to decide what gender they choose to be.
But to inculcate such thoughts in our children. And just because YOU wish to do so in the West, to force us also to do the same is also NOT acceptable to us in Africa or to us as Africans. And to shame any African country or any country in the world for that matter for having their own views, laws and decide for themselves what the wish for as policies smacks on Discrimination and has the flavour of the old Arpathid Regime.
Where the white man decides what Africans should do. I say this with great respect to our members and out board. And apologies if I have caused any offence.
But as Uganda has been officially stayed in this Forum has having been shamed. I think it only fair.
JousLTE, Nigerian tour agency and event planner sees it:
Truth is, African countries do not consider that (LGBTQ) as our priority issues. We are more concerned about peace amongst our brethren in the Great Lakes region, How to restore peace in the Horn of Africa etc. How to promote greater intra African trade and travel, reduce crime and many more salient issues.
So in simple terms we have a lot of situations to take care of than discussing about an irrelevant topic sincerely.
Ms.B from Nigeria explains:
This topic always causes loads to be said!! Can it be kept simple. Can we get any CLARITY from fundamentals?
Away from relating it to “rights”,”africans”, “whites”,”cultures” etc? Just me following here, and pondering. How did we get this far!!
All these familiar concepts where existing from thousands of centuries before Christ and Islam? Before LGBTQ?
Or not?
And there was obviously no conflicts then? No one trying to “impose”, or “insist” any of the above was superior to the other? Or required to be accepted as?
Such that like in other areas such as when suddenly Africans started saying they want to wear African prints culturally known and acceptable to them instead of European suits “culturally known and acceptable to their own culture too”? .
So for instance those that made those decision, and many decided they want none of these TWO. They prefered to choose a polyester mixed of fabric! To be different.
But, the creators of the two main ones created their own CLEAR fashion. African and European. The polyester mix was not either of the two others. It was a “decision mix” a human creator mix? Still wearable by those that WANTED?
Did they have to Lord it over others?
Are they not the ones that chose to deviate from the generally known TWO FASHIONS?
No wahala as we say in Nigeria.
Such that should the POLYESTER GROUP start saying it is their right to make the AFRICAN PRINT group or EUROPEAN group acknowledge their RIGHT to wear polyester? And by force accept their polyester mix? And allow others to wear it too. The two group have a right to say YES OR NO? Because they had an ESTABLISHED CULTURE, People, interest, focus, fabric choice too? And all of this need to be acknowledged and respected like those of the smallest NICHE OF A SOCIETY- FAMILY culture, rights, etc. That existed from the time of “THE GARDEN OF EDEN”?
Is anyone disturbing them? I don’t believe so.
What we don’t hear or ask i think also is. Who is the CREATOR of the common HUMAN Gender known? That we all emerged from?
besides the atheist’s belief ? and those who may believe Man came from evolution? Did any of these sources ” Create” this present gender discussed? From the beginning?
So whatever CREATOR is recognised to be the above he initally created ” Male & Female in the garden we all know? Or the “norm” we all know?
Unless a few “other mix” existed there unknown? As far as I know there wasn’t or Maybe I stand to be enlighten on this. 🤔
So any ” polyester mix” has occurred as a result of ” human happenings” to put this simply and with all due respect.
Such that it cannot now be “forced down” anyone’s mind or see it as the norm?
The right? The choice for the whole of AFRICA? EUROPE? THE GLOBE? based on what?
The “right”; The “culture”,etc that was in existence from as long as human beings male and female existed?
I guess we have to keep going back to fundamental reference points?
Who is the creator of the human race? What did he create initially? 5 genders or 2 or ?
So where have we got it mixed up? As I love to say like a ” cocktail mix”!!
This for me is the ” mix” creating “shades of views” here that really can make one ask where did we get all this wrong or create a gap!!
It’s a matter of LIVE & LET LIVE too- if the challenge of whatever gender life decisions have made anyone to ” find yourself”, “think yourself to be” , or ” constantly trying to convince yourself, and others how to perceive your gender” is the case.
Especially if it is not “your choice” or “your fault”.It is all choices that humm exist?
It is like an illness or disease? We never choose it but when we have it we put ALL EFFORT to CURE it to remain alive like normality known to all?
That is a STATE OF FREEDOM from illness or a disease?
Like the familiar Gender known from the “garden of eden” ? Depending on your BELIEVE of where the human race/gender evolved from? Before any others describe here were “born”??
So in such a state we don’t I say because I am “ill”? On burdened with something? Everyone should give a “right” to everyone to be “ill” along with me?
Such a logic of our thoughts process calls for concern. Not only for the African continent but the WHOLE Human race that we all are part of and have a collective responsibility to protect??
Good day to all in the “AFRICAN HOUSE” here.
Just my view.
Cheers
World Tourism Network Chairman Juergen Steinmetz concluded:
I really appreciate your point of view, but respectfully I don’t think the white man or anyone forcing views on an independent country such as Uganda – or on Africa is the issue at all here.
Any country no matter where in the world that legalizes the persecution of a minority and threatens to kill their own citizens only because they have a sexual orientation some find sinful, wrong or perverse does not have the right under human laws, religious values to do so.
The world should have spoken when German Nazis killed fellow German citizens who happened to be Jewish . The apartheid regime in South Africa treating black citizens like secondary – all of this has nothing to do with a country being allowed to make laws for themselves.
Shame on the president of Uganda and those that voted for this so called witch hunt law .
Respect for the good people of Uganda and solidarity with anyone in the Uganda LGBTQ community . They are Ugandan as other Ugandan- or do I see this wrong ?
Juergen Steinmetz is wrong, says JousLTE:
Hi Juergen, you see, words like those in your last paragraph are some of the reasons Africans feel insulted and utterly disrespected on the issue of these LGBTQ thing, Sir.
That is not engaging, rather you’re disparaging the leadership and the entire parliament of a country because MAJORITY of the people speaking and voting through their parliamentarians have chosen what they felt serves them better.
Funnily, many of the people trumpeting LGBTQ all over the place just to be seen to adhere, are silently wishing in their quiet corners that none of their relations will choose to change his or her sex.
