Man arrested for pretending to be a woman

A 25 year- Old person who identifies as Zainabu Muchunguzi was on Monday arrested by Police for allegedly pretending to be  a woman yet  he is a Man.

Muchunguzi says that he feels female hence deciding to dress and behave like  a woman.

Several LGBTQ activists have taken to social media to call for the immediate release of Muchunguzi alleging that his arrest is a violation of human rights.

"Trans women are women Police and the public must cease infringing on the rights of Zainabu. We demand the immediate and unconditional release of Zainabu,"  Hillary Tylar a gay rights activist commented adding that  the public has no prerogative to dictate how she chooses to dress.

Recently, Parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2023  outlawing LGBTQ acts in Uganda.

While presiding over the House sitting on Tuesday, 02 May 2023, Speaker Anita Among commended the commitment of legislators in ensuring the protection of Uganda’s values and culture and urged them to stand firm on their decision.

“I want to urge the Members of Parliament to remain steadfast. No amount of intimidation will make us retract what we have done. Handouts or small envelopes should not be the ones to destroy you. The Western World will not come and rule Uganda,” said Among.

She urged the Attorney General to expeditiously present the Bill to the President for assent.

The Bill was first passed 21 March 2023 but was returned by the President.  

The Committee on Legal and Parliamentary Affairs reviewed the concerns and proposals made by the President regarding distinguishing between being a homosexual and actually engaging in acts of homosexuality.

The President said the law should be clear so that what is being criminalized is not the state of one having a deviant proclivity but rather the actions of one acting on the deviance or promoting the same.

The Committee Chairperson, Hon. Robina Rwakoojo said the President’s concerns were genuine and had been initially expressed by the committee in its report to the House.