BY Pascal Kwesiga and Mary Karugaba        

President Yoweri Museveni has said that Uganda will not tolerate the promotion of homosexuality and warned pro-gay activists against such activities.

"I have been telling these people (pro gay activists) that nobody will kill or prosecute them for being homosexual, but there should be no promotion of homosexuality," Museveni said Sunday at the installation of new Archbishop of Church of Uganda, Most. Rev. Stanley Ntagali, at the St. Paul's Cathedral, Namirembe in capital Kampala.

Museveni said he recently met with the US ambassador to Uganda and told him that the country would not allow pro-homosexuality activists to continue with their promotional campaign of homosexuality.

"I told him I have never held rallies to even promote heterosexual issues. The problem is promoting, you hear people holding conferences to promote homosexuality as if it's a good thing," the President added as the Christians inside and outside the church chanted 'Amen'.

Museveni said he had explained to the American ambassador of the existing cultural clash between the people from the Western countries and Africa where sex is an issue that is not discussed in public.

"I told him that I have been married to my wife for 39 years, but I have never kissed her in public and in my house before the children. If I did it I would lose elections and you know I am not about to accept that idea of losing elections," the President added.

Museveni caused laughter when he said that he hoped that European clergy in attendance were in support of the stance of the Anglican Church in Uganda against homosexuality.  

"I hope these (white bishops) are your partners in the struggle against homosexuality and I commend the church for the fight against this practice. There are some people who have been wasting our time," he said.

The President said before the whites came into contact with Africans, there were two prominent kings and a chief who practiced homosexuality and no one was bothered about their sexuality because they didn't promote or encourage others to follow suit.

"I knew of two kings and one chief who practiced homosexuality. They were not persecuted, discriminated or killed. The chief actually did very good work but homosexuality was not promoted. People would whisper and ignore, the issue now is promotion as if it's good, that we can't accept," Museveni said.

He said he was worried about the current HIV/AIDs prevalence rate that has increased tremendously in Uganda that was a model country in the world when the prevalence rate went down considerably in the 1990's.

Museveni observed that the drop in the HIV prevalence due to government’s vigorous campaign promoting abstinence, faithfulness and condom use.

Museveni noted that conflicting messages such as circumcision are to blame for the rising HIV prevalence.

He urged the church leaders to embark on a campaign to guide the young people on how to avoid contracting the disease.
The President donated a V-X land cruiser to Ntagali.