By Bana Mwesige

I am Bana Mwesige.
Most people call me Bana or Mwesi for short. And sometimes, just to stir the pot and make folks slightly uncomfortable in the best way, I introduce myself as Mwesi-(gay). It serves two beautiful purposes. One—people always mix up my name. They assume I’m a Munyankole and go ahead to autocorrect me to Mwesigye or Mwesigwa (my friends from the West, we need to talk about this). Two—because as someone who has journeyed through shame, doubt, fear, and finally pride, I now fully embrace the fact that gay is not just part of my identity. It’s literally right there in my name. Divine coincidence? Maybe. But I call it poetic justice.

Growing up queer in Uganda is not for the faint of heart. You are constantly told you don’t belong, that you’re a “Western import,” a “curse,” a “danger to tradition.” But here’s the thing they don’t tell you: being gay doesn’t make me any less Ugandan. My love for this country—the hills, the hustle, the roadside rolex, the way we joke and tiktok our way through pain, the 7pm sunsets—is real. Just as real as my queerness.
There’s a dangerous and lazy narrative that being queer and being patriotic are somehow at odds. That to be gay in Uganda means to reject Uganda.
I am a proud Ugandan.
And there’s gay in my name.

This coming election, I’m showing up at the polls. Loudly. Deliberately. Because my voice matters. Because I pay taxes. Because I know my area MP—and more importantly, he knows me. He knows that I, a queer, young, ambitious Ugandan, exist. I have his contact. I know he knows this weird boy with dreadlocks always talking about that comically dusty road on my way home. He knows!!! I’ve asked questions and demanded answers—not just for me, but for all of us who are made invisible by the system. Voting is not just a right. It’s resistance. It’s hope. It’s proof that we belong.

This Pride Month, I don’t just wear the rainbow. I live it. I celebrate my gayness unapologetically, and my Ugandan-ness with pride. I honor every queer Ugandan who came before me, who whispered in corners and loved in shadows. I celebrate those of us living out loud today, making space for each other in taxis, church pews, family WhatsApp groups, and online.
To anyone reading this who’s ever felt like they had to choose between their identity and their country—listen to me:
You don’t.
You are both. Fully. Gloriously. Irrevocably.
Gay. Ugandan. Here!!!
And we’re not going anywhere. 🏳️‍🌈🇺🇬