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The Ugandan Martyrs of Namugongo – the full truth behind this historic event

On 3 June, thousands gather every year at Namugongo for the annual commemoration of the 45 young men murdered by King Mwanga. While tradition has it that they were killed for refusing to denounce their faith, there are other possible contributory factors that deserve to be recognised.

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The retelling of the martyrs’ story has many gaps that are left unaddressed. For example, was Kabaka Mwanga gay or bisexual? He had 16 wives, after all. There is also the fact that the missionaries could have had other political interests, which might have made the king suspect that his pages were being turned into spies against him, motivating him to distrust and kill them. The fact that Kabaka Mwanga never killed female converts shouldn’t be overlooked either. The question of faith has overridden all the other aspects and contributory factors to this tragic history.

Kabaka Mwanga’s story aside, there is more evidence that homosexuality existed in Africa long before Westerners and Europeans “exported” it here.

 

On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga II of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity.

On 3 June 1886, thirty-two young men, pages of the court of King Mwanga II of Buganda, were burned to death at Namugongo for their refusal to renounce Christianity.

Evidence that homosexuality is not a “Western thing”

Uganda is one of the countries where most citizens are deeply entrenched in uninformed homophobia. Transgender people are hated and discriminated against. It would have been helpful for the struggle against homophobia if the full truth of the Namugongo martyrs was more commonly known.

Kabaka Mwanga’s story aside, there is more evidence that homosexuality existed in Africa long before Westerners and Europeans “exported” it here. For example, in Zimbabwe, rock paintings by the San Bushman, dating back more than 8 000 years, depict male-on-male sex acts. Such evidence could help to demystify the widespread ignorance surrounding the richness of Africa’s sexual stature. This could also serve to water down the demonization of gay sex.

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