Uganda's government said Monday that it
has developed a program to “rehabilitate” members of the LGBT
community to give them a chance to lead “normal lives.”
At a press conference, Ethics Minister
Simon Lokodo said that the government “will continue to suppress”
the public activities of the LGBT community.
Organizers behind Uganda's annual pride
celebration canceled this year's march. Lawyer/activist Nick Opiyo
of Chapter 4 Uganda told BuzzFeed News that Lokodo had threatened to
disrupt the march during a meeting he had with the minister. The
decision to cancel this year's slate of events came a day after
police raided a pride event, where several prominent LGBT rights
activists were arrested.
(Related: Uganda
Pride event raided by police.)
Lokodo said that a program has been
developed to “rehabilitate members of the LGBT community, with the
ultimate aim of giving them a chance to lead normal lives again.”
He also claimed that foreign forces, which he did not name, were
influencing the organization of LGBT Pride events.