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Martin Ssempa

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Martin Ssempa
Born1968[1]
Nalusali, Uganda[1]
NationalityUgandan
OccupationPastor
SpouseTracey Ssempa[2]
Websitewww.MartinSsempa.com

Martin Ssempa is a Ugandan pastor, and founder of the Makerere Community Church. He has called himself an AIDS activist for two decades[2] and has been influential in shaping Uganda's national AIDS policy.[3] Ssempa's international influence has been expressed through his working with a branch of the United States Agency for International Development (the U.S. civilian foreign aid program), specifically the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEPFAR,[4][5]

He has co-authored Uganda’s 2004 "Abstinence and Being Faithful" AIDS policy, (a revision of the previous ABC Program: Abstinence, Being Faithful, and Condom Usage), and is the special representative of the Task Force on AIDS of Ugandan First Lady Janet Museveni.[4] He has testified before the US Congress on the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.[6]

Ssempa has previously been associated with Rick Warren's Saddleback Church HIV/AIDS Initiative[7] and served as keynote speaker at Rick and Elizabeth K. Warren's Disturbing Voices AIDS conference. [citation needed] However Warren has since distanced himself with Ssempa and severed ties in 2007.[8]

Ssempa rejects Separation of Church and State, opposes a condom-inclusive approach to AIDS prevention (notably burning a case of condoms in the name of Jesus),[9] and supports abstinence plus fidelity education in the fight against HIV/AIDS.[10][11] Ssempa claims to be leading a crusade to "kick sodomy out of Uganda, endorsing proposed legislation in Uganda that makes certain homosexual acts punishable by life in prison or even, in some cases, death."[12]

Early life

Martin Ssempa was born in Naluzaale, Masaka District, Uganda in 1968 to a single mother. He did not know who his father was. His mother was a teacher and he changed school often as a child. Ssempa went to Kimanya Primary School in Masaka and St. Peter's Primary School in Nsambya. He then went to Rubaga Boys' Secondary School, before he completed his A level at Namilyango College. As a teen he became a celebrity in East Africa as the national break dancing champion.[1] In 1988, Ssempa was admitted to Makerere University.

During this time both his brother and sister contracted AIDS. Ssempa sat by their beds as they grew sicker. When they died in 1990, he blamed their promiscuity and feared that his lifestyle would also lead to his death via AIDS; thus, he decided to take action. Ssempa gave up his dream of being a celebrity and dedicated himself to Jesus Christ at the Wandegeya Baptist Youth Centre. [citation needed] He traveled the country with a drama group that performed in schools trying to educate students about AIDS.[13]

Ssempa graduated with a Bachelor’s in Social Science with a specialization in sociology. Ssempa received a Masters of Arts degree in counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University.[1][14][15]

Activism

Ssempa has advocated a cessation of tribal rivalries and hatred in Uganda.[16]

He is a strong advocate of the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill (which would give the death penalty for some gays and lesbians),[17] with his actions including showing gay pornography featuring coprophagia in his church. Ssempa became known widely across the internet for his suggestion in a video that has become somewhat of a meme that homosexuals like to "eat da poo poo" and that they "suck the other person's rectum" where "a man's anus is a licked... like ice cream".[18] Ssempa quickly became the laughing stock of the internet due to the absurdity of the video. Ssempa confirms the homosexual/scatalogical association with the intention to suppress what he regards as deviant behaviour.[19] This tactic was widely condemned by the international community.[20] U.S. President Barack Obama has called the bill "odious".[20]

Of the bill Ssempa says: "Some people have asked about the rationale of a death penalty mentioned in the Bill. There has been a lot of misinformation about this matter with headlines such as: “Gays face death penalty in Uganda”. These headlines are deliberately misleading. This penalty applies only in special cases termed “aggravated homosexuality”, which include, those convicted of unlawful homosexual rape of a child or handicapped invalid; This is a conviction of paedophilles! As highlighted in the problem of “virgin rape cures HIV/AIDS” the offender can be a person living with HIV; a parent or guardian of the victim where there is abuse of authority! Finally is the use of drugs to stupefy the child so that they can rape them!. Clearly, the intent of this penalty is to protect weaker members of society from being victimized. Please note that for over 15 years Uganda has had the same penalty for persons who have carnal knowledge of minors heterosexually, mainly to protect against sexual abuse of girls by men. This time, this provision intends to provide equal protection of boys, among others." [21]

In 2009, Ssempa was one of the pastors who accused his powerful rival Robert Kayanja of having sex with two young men. The accusations were dismissed by the police, but the scandal stalled support for the sodomy bill.[22]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e The New Vision, Martin Ssempa turned Saturday night at MUK into prime time
  2. ^ a b "Martin's Story". Martinssempa.com. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  3. ^ "God and the Fight Against AIDS - The [[New York]] Review of Books". Nybooks.com. 28 April 2005. Retrieved 2010-03-07. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  4. ^ a b "Rick Warren's Africa Problem". The Daily Beast. 7 January 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  5. ^ "PEPFAR money being used to 'promote homophobia', charges human rights group". Aidsmap. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  6. ^ "NOW. Transcript. November 4, 2005". PBS. 4 November 2005. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  7. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  8. ^ Miller, Lisa (29 November 2009). "Pastor Rick Warren Responds to Proposed Antigay Ugandan Legislation". Newsweek. Retrieved 6 December 2009.
  9. ^ "Uganda: Unmasking Country's 'Born Again' Fad". allAfrica.com. 8 December 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  10. ^ Frontline
  11. ^ 29 juli 2007. "FRONTLINE/WORLD | Uganda : Condom Controversy | PBS". YouTube. Retrieved 2010-03-07.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Timothy, Aaron (14 August 2009). "Martin Ssempa ~ News: Christians join [[Muslim]]s to fight Homosexuality". Ssempanews.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2010-03-07. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  13. ^ "New Vision Online : Martin Ssempa turned Saturday night at MUK into prime time". Newvision.co.ug. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  14. ^ "A view inside the Ugandan anti-gay campaign of Martin Ssempa, Dr. Warren Throckmorton". Crosswalk.com. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  15. ^ "Uganda pastor screens gay porn in church". Capitalfm.co.ke. Retrieved 2010-03-14.
  16. ^ The Independent, Guest Blog: Tribal Politics: Role of the church in peace building
  17. ^ Reuters: UN rights boss urges Uganda to shelve anti-gay bill
  18. ^ YouTube: EAT DA POO POO
  19. ^ "Martin Ssempa". Box Turtle Bulletin. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  20. ^ a b "Martin Ssempa, Anti-Gay Ugandan Pastor, Shows Church Gay Porn Videos". Huffingtonpost.com. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-07.
  21. ^ Ssempa, Martin. "Warren Response". Retrieved 2011-01-03.
  22. ^ The Economist magazine. July 3rd, 2010 issue. page 45.

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