Mudde Arthur, a renowned gay man and outspoken activist of the LGBT community in Uganda is currently being hunted by Ugandan police authorities for allegedly recruiting young boys into the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) groups.
Mudde, 21, currently faces a witchhunt at the time when a heated debate on the harsh anti-gay law that proposes extreme punishments such as “aggravated homosexuality” and life imprisonment for people who publicly reveal their sexual status.
Arthur Mudde, who is one of the leaders of Youth Aware Organization, an LGBT activist organization that supports and advocates for gay rights in the country is accused of indulging in the vice that goes against the country’s harsh laws, according to Ugandan authorities.
He was first arrested last month when police raided a popular in Kampala and detained many of the LGBT members before subjecting them to harsh treatment while in custody, according to local reports.
Eight days later, Arthur Mudde and colleagues managed to secure a police bond but disappeared and absconded from reporting to police ever since then, prompting a manhunt from authorities.
Speaking to the media on Monday, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Ibin Ssenkumbi said a bounty of Shs10m in cash has now been offered for anyone with information leading to the arrest of the fugitive Arthur Mudde, along with two other gay activists Faustine Niyonzima and Derrick Kyobe.
“He disappeared while on bond last month and has not appeared ever since. Anyone with information regarding where he is or his whereabouts, please contact your police immediately,” Mr Ssenkumbi said.
“A cash reward of 10,000,000 shillings is awaiting,” he added.
Arthur is not the only individual being actively pursued by authorities in Uganda for being an LGBT activist. Over the years, gay people in the East African country had come to believe progress was being made in defence of their rights in a country where homophobia is rampant.
In 2012 they held their first gay pride parade and have sometimes joined street marches in support of all human rights. But a recent wave of violence and abuse against LGBT people, including the beating of a lesbian by a doctor, and a mob attack on a Rwandan refugee leaves the community in fear of homophobia and transphobia.
