Uganda: Govt Should Be Honest About HIV/Aids

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New Vision (Kampala)

10 April 2008
Posted to the web 11 April 2008

Odonga Otto
Kampala

PRESIDENT Yoweri was recently quoted in The New Vision as advising the youth against being deceived that circumcision was a medicine to AIDS. Recent remarks that those who infect others with AIDS should hang, astounded me.

Another article intimated laxity and recklessness among the youth as a cause of HIV spread. A recent report by the World Health Organisation indicates a high increase in infection rates in Uganda with the overall prevalence rising from 6.2% to 6.4%.

In a lay man's understanding, it means 1.6 million Ugandans are HIV-positive. If each of them can have unprotected sex with 17 other Ugandans, then statistically, every Ugandan would be HIV-positive. What a worrying trend?

The NRM government got political mileage in the world due to successes in the fight against AIDS. No wonder the parliamentary AIDS committee is more than overwhelmed with people coming to learn the Ugandan success on AIDS and many committee members spend a reasonable time in planes going to sell the gospel of how to contain AIDS abroad. However, can the government tell the country the truth?

What went wrong?

Why the increase in prevalence rate? First, the rate at which Uganda is embracing globalisation is worrying. There is no safety net against the influence of the Western media like Channel O television. The effect of such exposure is tremendous and is beginning to yield negative returns.

While in one of the leading discotheques in the country recently, to celebrate my 30th birthday, I was shocked to see how our youth are being wasted with the deplorable level of immorality.

What should have been a joyous evening turned out into a nightmare. I met a 49-year-old man, who in the 20 minutes I spent with him, dished out sh150,000 to three different women. He confessed they where his girlfriends. One was a third year student at Makerere University.

Is the campaign against cross generational sex working if such a man can act with impunity and the young girls feel privileged to be associated with him?

The current dressing pattern around town is another pointer that western culture has influenced our thinking. It is unbecoming that mothers and daughters alike are walking almost naked.

At the risk of being branded conservative, in the western world, women are empowered and the empowerment is right in the male mindset as opposed to the male dominated African society. So an attempt to uncontrollably adopt such provocative unAfrican dress code is one of the leading causes of promiscuity.

The misplaced perception on sex engineered by tabloids which have glorified the "sexy" people has made matters worse. Many male chauvinists look at women in terms of whether they are sexy or not. Many women also see themselves in terms of being "sexy". When such a woman is told she is sexy, she takes it as a compliment. This perception calls for a protracted campaign by the HIV-AIDS activists.

There exists typical African vengeance and revenge, especially by some of those infected by AIDS. Thus the culture of deliberately infecting others with AIDS is on the increase.

This is unpatriotic. Some people have gone on rampage with bogus excuses like "I did not get AIDS from a tree", implying he was infected and must pass it on to others as well.

I know a man in his 60s who moves out with small girls. When his children sat down with him to talk about it, he is said to have responded that "men learn while in their graves."

Other factors responsible for the spread of HIV include the increasing levels of poverty and the mushrooming number of guest houses in every corner of the country. What should be done to counter the rising trends?

The way forward

Parliament should enact laws to charge those who deliberately infect others with AIDS with murder or manslaughter. The current legal regime is not adequate. The challenge, though, is proof that one had the criminal intention. Charging one for murder presumes compulsory testing for HIV, yet one's status can change overnight.

The Government should control the dress code, liquor, indecent exposure in the media, poverty, the mushrooming guest houses and corruption. Sensitisation campaigns should also be repackaged.

However, Ugandans must know that after the Government has played its part, it is everyone's duty to remain alive. The Government cannot follow people to their bedrooms to ensure they are safe.

The writer is the MP for Aruu county in Pader disitrict

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