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Uganda Police blocks 2nd LGBT event in a week- Organizers Walugembe Isaac and Oscar go missing
Isaac Walugmbe alias Milky, the coordinator of Tuzinne festival didn’t deny police’s accusations that he was promoting what police claimed was pervasive behaviour and so was the Festival Director Oscar Ssenyonga . Instead Ssenyonga directed the participants to go ahead with the show using their mobile phone torches.
Zari Hatari one of the transgender artists.
Uganda Police this evening used teargas to stop Tuzinne Festival that was taking place at the National Theatre because of the organisers’ connections with the LGBT community.
At around 7pm, Police officers who were on duty at the National Theatre stormed the auditorium where a performance was taking place and demanded that the organisers stop featuring what the police described as LGBT behaviour.
Some of the disabled LGBT who were present
Officers claimed that they had beeen notified that the show was all about promoting homosexualty, which they said would not be allowed claiming that a man can not dress up like a woman (in a dress) and entertainment people.
This came after male performers were spotted by stage dressed like women, all covered with make up.
The organisers defied the police’s verbal order and continued with the show. The officer sought reinforcement which came an hour later.
Trans gender men continue modelling despite police refusing them.
At around 9:30pm, several police officers again stormed the theatre and this time directed the organisers to suspend a fashion show on catwalk that was featuring different styles including men who were dressed like women.
Organisers again defied the police which ordered the theatre officials to switch off power.
Oscar Ssenyonga, the Director of Tuzinne festival didn’t deny police’s accusations that he was promoting what police claimed was pervasive behaviour. Instead Ssenyonga directed the participants to go ahead with the show using their mobile phone torches.
This prompted the police to use teargas to disperse the community.
Tuzinne was supposed to be a two-day event featuring both traditional as well as contemporary dances as well as symposia under the theme: ‘The Safety of Our People’
A performance before the show was disrupted and closed by police.
The incident comes less than a week after the police stormed Ram’s bar at the Crested Towers building where over 60 members of the LGBT community were arrested.
Over the past few days, their lawyers have been trying to secure their freedom, but many remain locked up in jail and are scheduled to appear before court on Monday November 19, 2019.
The Sunrise has tried in vain to get the Police to comment on this evening’s events as the relevant officers could not pick our calls. It was letter reported that the organizers went missing and our efforts to call a one Isaac Walugembe went futile.
But the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango earlier this week denied the force was targeting members of the LGBT.
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