KUCHU TIMES

Campaigning Award | Nominee | Freedom of Expression Awards

Kuchu Times is a media platform created for and by LGBTQ Ugandans. Kuchu is the slang adopted by the Ugandan LGBTQ community to secretly identify themselves and easily talk about issues affecting them in public without exposing themselves to criminal charges or abuse. Kuchu Times Media was created as a reaction to the state’s anti-LGBTQ laws and the use of homophobia and hate by the state’s supporters towards the LGBTQ community. Its work focuses on ensuring that LGBTQ Ugandans have access to information that speaks to their needs, that there is a diverse representation and visibility of their reality and that those seeking knowledge on the LGBTQ+ Ugandan movement and community can access verifiable information. Kuchu Times works through print publications and its website that publishes reports on a daily basis to challenge the censorship of LGBTQ+ voices and stories in Uganda and across Africa. Its content is produced by the community and includes research documentation, information dissemination, advocacy, and community building.

The Ugandan media has seen a spike in anti-LGBTQ stories, The state and its representatives have used anti-LGBTQ misinformation and hate speech to drive the adoption of a new anti-homosexuality law. Among other provisions, this calls for a ban on the production of pro-LGBTQ content as an act of promotion of homosexuality liable for up to 3-5 years in prison. In this period, Kuchu Times has engaged in information campaigns aimed at highlighting the implications of the law, how it is being used by politicians to deflect public attention away from allegations of corruption, and to communicate to all LGBTQ persons what interventions are being made to fight this law, and where they can seek support. Kuchu Times has faced numerous digital attacks directed at its website and other platforms. It has also received online harassment and hate and has been forcibly evicted from its rental offices in adherence to law provisions banning rental of property to certain organisations.

"Being shortlisted for this award at this time is a reminder that our work of confronting censorship and defending our freedom of expression is seen and valued.It is a testament to the resilience of the Uganda LGBTQ community. We're honoured to be recognized among other remarkable efforts against erasure and censorship."

Ruth Muganzi, Programs Director, KuchuTimes Media Group