Ugandan Gay Rights Leader at Unitarian Universalist Society: East

Celebrated Ugandan Gay Rights Leader to Visit Greater Hartford Area

“In a world with too few heroes, Rev. Mark Kiyimba stands tall. He stands against hatred, ignorance and oppression.”

Reverend Mark Kiyimba will be speaking on Thursday, September 20 at the Charter Oak Cultural
Center in Hartford at 7:00 PM; Sunday, September 23rd at the Unitarian Universalist Society: East
(UUS:E) in Manchester at 9am and 11am; and Monday, September 24 at UCONN’s Rainbow Center.
He will speak about the draconian attempts of the Ugandan government to imprison or—in some
cases—impose the death penalty on any homosexual person, and his quest to oppose those measures.

Rev. Kiyimba has been a vocal opponent of the Ugandan government’s position on the anti-
homosexuality bill, known as the Bahati bill (named after its author, David Bahati in Uganda's parliament).
The bill was introduced into the Ugandan Parliament in 2009, calling for life imprisonment or death
for homosexuals. The re-emergence of the bill has brought more rebuke from Western donor nations,
according to PBS Newshour, but not enough to bring its demise.

Rev. Kiyimba, 36, will be visiting the US in order to gain further support against the bill and to put
pressure on the Ugandan government to change its ways. US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton
recently stated: “ The president has directed all US government agencies engaged overseas to combat
the criminalization of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender) status and conduct, to enhance efforts to protect vulnerable LGBT refugees
and asylum seekers, to ensure that our foreign assistance promotes the protection of LGBT rights.”  Rev.
Kiyimba hopes to build on that directive by broadening international support for abolishing the Bahati bill.

Rev. Kiyimba, minister of the New Life Kampala Unitarian Universalist Church, also runs a school for
150 orphans who have lost their parents to HIV and AIDS, and an orphanage for children infected with
the virus. Earlier this year he was presented with the National Education Association’s “Virginia Uribe
Award for Creative Leadership in Human Rights,” an award given to a nominee whose activities in
human rights significantly impact education and the achievement of equal opportunity for those facing
discrimination due to their sexual orientation.

Rev. Kiyimba will be in the Greater Hartford area from the 19th to the 25th with limited availability for
interviews. If you are interested in scheduling some time with Rev. Kiyimba, please contact Rev. Josh
Pawelek at UUS:E, 153 West Vernon Street, Manchester, CT 06033,
860-646-5151 or (860) 652-8961. www.uuse.org