In our previous article about the Makerere University row that ensued at Mitchell Hostel, when holier-than-thou boys turned against their fellow students, accusing them of homosexuality, thus subjecting them to mob justice before the university police operatives quelled the situation, we discussed the deteriorating academic values—tolerance and independent thinking—at the institution. Of course, many people […]
Stories
Before organizations had names. Before we had the words to call ourselves a movement. There was music. There was a place to breathe. There was DJ Rachael. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Uganda’s queer community was scattered, hidden, and surviving however we could. There were almost no safe places to just exist. But […]
Makerere University is the oldest and largest institution of higher learning in Uganda, established in 1922, and for so many years, it has produced great minds, including political, academic, professional, and literary people. Yet with such an interesting history, the university has regressed more than it has progressed. While education’s sole essence is to unlearn […]
When Jude Dibia published Walking With Shadows in 2005, he did something extraordinary: he told the story of a gay Nigerian man as a human being, not a cautionary tale. For West African literature — and for queer readers — it was a rupture, a revelation, and, ultimately, a spark that still burns today. A Radical […]
Rescue Refugees Beyond Borders Network launches powerful storytelling project highlighting the untold experiences of sexual and gender minorities seeking safety Over the weekend in Kampala, advocates, refugees, and human rights defenders gathered for the launch of “Voices in the Shadows,” a groundbreaking documentary and storytelling project by Rescue Refugees Beyond Borders Network (RRBBN). The launch […]
To listen to Chimano is to hear the story of countless queer Ugandans who cannot speak for themselves.
“Being Alive is Our Biggest Achievement”: New Report Exposes Harsh Realities for LBQ Womxn in Uganda
Kampala, Uganda — August 22, 2025A new report has laid bare the struggles of lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ) womxn in Uganda, revealing how state-sanctioned homophobia and entrenched discrimination are pushing communities to the margins of survival. Titled “Navigating Law and Marginality: An Afro-Feminist Analysis of Ugandan Womxn’s Interactions with the Law,” the study traces […]
After three years of terrorising Uganda’s LGBTQ+ community, notorious serial blackmailer Morris, now identified as Akampurira Najib, has finally been arrested following a brave victim’s report to authorities. By KuchuTimes Media Group A video circulating in queer WhatsApp groups and on TikTok last Tuesday showed the arrest of a man who has haunted Uganda’s LGBTQ+ […]
So all these mental gymnastics about how “they/them” doesn’t exist in African languages? Yeah, nice try. Our languages are more nuanced than we give them credit for. The problem isn’t the grammar, it’s the refusal to listen when someone tells you how they want to be seen.
I want your language raw and rough,
Ugandan slang that’s real enough.
struggling with the grammar of they/them
Call me “mwana, chief or boss,”
but respect my vibe, I’m my own boss.
You can spank me with “uncertain” love,
leave me panting for a “maybe” from above.