Ugandan President: Put padlocks on your private parts to avoid AIDS
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has claimed that people should “put padlocks” on their genitals to avoid getting HIV.
The notoriously homophobic President made the comments after World AIDS Day, and denounced the work of sexual health charities in the country.
According to the Monitor, he said “Those NGOs and whites come deceiving you that circumcision and condom use are the best ways to protect yourself against HIV/AIDS.
“But for me I advise you to put padlocks on your private parts.
“I told my children that once someone is affected by HIV/AIDS, they have betrayed their families because of the high hopes we usually have in children.
“So whenever my children would return for holidays, I would ask them whether the padlock is still on.”
He added: “I feel so ashamed and angered when I attend these AIDS meetings. Why should you sleep with someone you do not trust?”
Uganda’s AIDS charities and LGBT community have condemned the comments – which are the latest in a string of bizarre Museveni rants.
Edwin Sesange of the African LGBTI Out & Proud Diamond Group told PinkNews: “I think this message re-enforces stigma. It is better we just challenge the virus not the victims.
“There is no HIV/AIDS victim who would like to be treated like someone who betrayed his/her family.
“The President should be encouraging love, hope and support to the victim. Also he should be campaigning for zero stigma.”
Museveni has previously claimed that Uganda is a “better destination” for tourists than Spain, that “Uganda is so rich, we should be the ones to give aid”, and that oral sex is a Western invention that is “more terrible” than homosexuality.
