On Wednesday, January 3, 2024, Steven Kabuye, a prominent 25-year-old LGBTQ activist in Uganda, became the victim of a heinous assault that left him with knife wounds, raising concerns about the safety of LGBTQ community members in the country. The attack occurred on the outskirts of Kampala as Kabuye was on his way to work.
Kabuye disclosed to detectives investigating the incident that he had been receiving death threats, a revelation supported by a statement issued by police spokesman Patrick Onyango. The assailants, who remain unidentified, carried out the attack on a motorcycle, with the passenger dismounting to specifically target Kabuye’s neck with a knife. Despite his attempt to shield himself, Kabuye suffered a stab wound to his hand. The attackers relentlessly pursued him, stabbing him in the stomach before leaving him for dead. Local residents discovered him and rushed him to a nearby medical clinic.
Richard Lusimbo, head of the community action group Uganda Key Populations Consortium, expressed that Kabuye was in critical condition. However, Onyango contradicted this, stating that Kabuye was out of danger. Lusimbo emphasized the collective efforts to ensure Kabuye receives the necessary medical attention and to hold the perpetrators accountable for their reprehensible act.
Kabuye, associated with the Coloured Voices Media Foundation advocating for LGBTQ youth, narrated to investigators that he had been receiving death threats since March 2023. Having returned to Uganda in December for Christmas after an overseas trip in June, he became a victim of the rising risks faced by LGBTQ activists and community members in the wake of Uganda’s adoption of stringent anti-gay legislation in May the previous year.
The anti-gay legislation not only labeled “aggravated homosexuality” as a potentially capital offense but also imposed penalties, including life imprisonment, for consensual same-sex relations. Richard Lusimbo highlighted the perilous consequences of such laws, asserting that they expose the LGBTQ community to increased risks and foster hatred. The legislation drew widespread condemnation from human rights advocates and Western powers, leading to ongoing legal challenges in Uganda’s constitutional court.
Despite global criticism, President Yoweri Museveni’s government remains defiant, accusing the West of attempting to impose acceptance of homosexuality on Africa. As the legal battle over the anti-gay legislation continues, the incident involving Steven Kabuye underscores the urgent need to address the growing threats faced by LGBTQ individuals in Uganda.
