Ugandan police detain two women after reports of public kiss

Ugandan police have detained two women in their twenties after neighbours reported seeing them kissing in public in the north‑western city of Arua, in one of the latest arrests under the country’s heavily criticised Anti‑Homosexuality Act. 

The pair were arrested on 18 February after residents alerted authorities and provided photographs they claimed showed the women kissing openly. Police spokesperson Josephine Angucia said officers found the two “red‑handed” and accused them of engaging in “queer and unusual acts” believed to be sexual in nature. 

The women are being held as investigations continue and have reportedly not yet been charged or given access to legal representation. Their case has been forwarded to state prosecutors for review and possible court action. 

Uganda’s 2023 Anti‑Homosexuality Act - considered among the strictest in the world - imposes life imprisonment for consensual same‑sex relations and the death penalty for so‑called “aggravated homosexuality”. Although identifying as LGBTQ+ is not itself criminalised, the law has prompted a wave of arrests and heightened fears of blackmail and extortion among LGBTQ+ Ugandans. 

Prominent human rights advocate Frank Mugisha condemned the arrests, warning that enforcement of the law has created a climate of fear and exploitation. He said the case “underscores the grim reality” faced by LGBTQ+ people in the country. 

Uganda has faced sustained international criticism over the legislation, with Western governments, the United Nations and rights groups urging its repeal. The World Bank previously suspended lending to the country in response, before restoring financial support in 2025.