Dr Douglas Singiza was once a strong advocate of homosexuality and a vociferous defender of human rights. Don’t laugh.
“The discourse on homosexuality in many African countries is silently premised on the notion that sodomy is a capitalistic creation, an offshoot of the individualism of the middle-class elite of Europe. In this respect, homosexuality is regarded as an extension of imperialism. The rejection thereof is therefore grounded on its alleged imperial connection. This is however only half the truth, for it was the advent of colonialism that brought with it into Africa the moral discourse, through forceful policing of people’s sexual lives. It is therefore incorrect to support the penal sanctions against homosexuality on the basis that they promote African values at all…” Singiza argued in 2007.
Secondly, he went on, those who are using Christianity and religion as a defence against homosexuality were misguided.
“Particularly, it should be pointed out that Christianity as a colonial relic as well as a culture which is difficult to ascertain, should never be a strong basis in determining what is morally reprehensible to Constitution or lawmaking process,” he wrote.
The arguments are contained in a 62 page thesis Singiza submitted to the Faculty of Law of, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa as partial fulfillment for his LLM degree.
It was titled: EXORCISING THE ANTIQUITY SPIRIT OF INTOLERANCE: POSSIBILITIES AND DILEMMAS OF DECRIMINALISING SODOMY LAWS IN UGANDA and can be accessed by opening this link https://repository.up.ac.za/bitstream/handle/2263/5851/singiza_2007.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y
In the well written and argued thesis, Singiza came out swinging in support of advocates for gay rights and defenders of human rights.
He argued that most of the critics of gays and homosexuals in Africa had based their arguments on culture or religion, two aspects that he said had their weaknesses.
If the Singiza of 2007 who made these deep arguments in support of respect for human rights of minority groups met the one of today, who has just been appointed chairperson of the Judicial Serrvice Commission, the two would not recognise each other. They could clash terribly.
The Singiza of today will be hesitant to grant bail to a suspect who has undergone physical and psychological torture and could need medical treatment.
Where did the Singiza of 2007 go?
