Ugandan Sam Kahamba Kutesa, known as a homophobic and corrupt politician, is now referring to the LGBT community as "frogs" according to the Ugandan media. However there may be a cover up for the insult as the online article now stands blank!
Kutesa was elected President of the United Nations General Assembly's sixty-ninth session on 11 June 2014. At the time of his election, he was serving as Uganda's Minister for Foreign Affairs, a post he held since 2005.
Uganda's independent newspaper, The Daily Monitor, reported that Kutesa said with regard to the LGBT community: “No matter how much noise the frogs make, they cannot stop a cow from drinking water.”
Interpreted by BSN: "In other words the LGBT community is so inconsequential that it can croak as much as it wants (like frogs) but it had no impact on preventing him from getting the job of President of the General Assembly ("drinking water.") This also reads as 'gays are nothing more than frogs, slimy amphibians.'
Now in trying to relink to the article, it seems that the Ugandan Dail Monitor may have taken down the article. Other websites are reporting these comments from the Monitor, and linking directly to the article, which seems to have disappeared, but for this screenshot acknowledgment that it was once there:
BSN reported: “Now while visiting his home country, Uganda, which is still trying to re-introduce the homophobic law that calls for life sentences for members of the LGBT community after it was struck down by a Ugandan court on a technicality last year, the leading homophobe, Sam Kutesa, in an article under the headline "Kutesa lashes out at pro-gay activists", in Uganda's independent newspaper The Daily Monitor, had this to say yesterday in reference to the LGBT community: "“No matter how much noise the frogs make, they cannot stop a cow from drinking water." - See more at:
Surely this expression is indicative of his hostility towards the LGBTI global and domestic community and stands as an affront to his stature as President of the General Assembly of the United Nations, as well as in stark contrast to the United Nation’s stand for the human rights of LGBT people, as further expressed by Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and a UN Resolution: "Bringing homophobia and transphobia to an end is “a great human rights cause,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said yesterday, adding that the fight against discrimination “lies at the core of the mission of the United Nations.”
While visiting his home country, Kutesa continued to play gays for that political ping pong ball, attempting to score more points at the expense of a persecuted and scapegoated minority.
What is far more insidious now about this new anti-gay outburst is the fact that Kutesa’s voice, as President of the UN's GA impacts more than just his home country - and its boom can be heard in the rest of Africa and across international waters. What he says now hurts all LGBTI globally, and not just Uganda’s LGBTI community.
"Functions and powers of the General Assembly
The Assembly has initiated actions — political, economic, humanitarian, social and legal — which have affected the lives of millions of people throughout the world..."
In making such vitrolic remarks, Kutesa does not seem to grasp the enormity of his responsibility, and the persecution that LGBTI people suffer, not only in his home country, but around the world.
While Uganda ‘s courts invalidated the 2014 Anti-Homosexuality Act, over 256 Ugandan Parliamentarians are seeking to bring it back. Kutesa is pandering to them and to voters, to win favor at home, while defecating on the United Nations and all it stands for. His words cause great peril across Africa and abroad. He is in effect displaying as well as applauding homophobia, while purporting to oversee the United Nation’s General Assembly.
Uganda has notoriously relied on its so called sovereignty to avert its international responsibilities on the issue of its state santioned homophobia. Surely a Ugandan in this seat cannot rely on such argument when vocally asserting his homophobia. As a representative in the United Nations, with such high ranking importance, as President of the GA, Kutesa albeit a Ugandan, has the moral and ethical obligation, to uphold and respect the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN Resolutions and its Charter.
Is the Ugandan Monitor Now Covering Up for Kutesa:-
It may be sepeculation on my part, yet I am willing to suggest that the Ugandan Monitor has been rebuked for publishing the comments, as it seems to have disappeared off the very page where the article now stands empty. However the evidence of it being there is clear, through all the online publications which picked it up, linked to it and spread it around. The link is here - but the page is now blank (let me know if it comes back into sight): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Kutesa-lashes-out-at-pro-gay-activists/-/688334/2604322/-/tpfcj8/-/index.html
Although as President of the UN GA he has very little actual power to do anything other than of a procedural nature, but his stature is significant and accordingly his influence. Surely this President of the United Nations GA, Sam Kutesa, has way overstepped the mark by making this remarks during his tenure?
One wonders if the President of the United Nation's General Assembly is subject to impeachment and if so, is this display of adversity towards a persecuted minority, in flagrant disregard for the UN Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights an impeachable offense? If not should it be? Nonetheless I for one am calling for his resignation - he has shamed the United Nations! SAM KUTESA MUST RESIGN! #RESIGNKUTESA
General Assembly Tel (212) 963-7171, Fax (212) 963-7172
This earlier petition did not seem to stop Kutesa from appointment - hence his continued insults to gays: SIGN PETITION
Nathan@AfricanHRC.org