Ugandan musician Jose Chameleone, real name Joseph Mayanja, has apologized for kissing his brother on the lips on stage during a concert performance in Kampala on Friday.
It wasn’t the first time the brothers kissed on stage, but there has been a surge in anti-gay sentiment in the country recently, with calls for a crackdown on promoters of same-sex relationships.
Jose Chameleone’s kiss with his musician brother Weasel saw an influential preacher registering a complaint with the Uganda police against the pair.
“I know that most of my friends were offended and did not take it lightly. Please accept my heartfelt apologies. It was just too much energy and excitement. I really regret it “the musician said in a tweeted video.
“My sincere apologies to the general public” I thank you @Mukulaa for your advice and patronage – For God and my country. pic.twitter.com/j6FekUwb3r
— JOSE CHAMELEONE (@JChameleone) February 28, 2023
The patron of the Uganda Musicians Association stated that he had approached Pastor Martin Ssempa with the intention of withdrawing the complaint against Jose Chameleone.
On Tuesday, Uganda’s parliament granted an opposition MP permission to introduce an anti-homosexuality bill, which he claimed was intended to address recruitment, promotion, and funding of activities related to same-sex relationships.
Gay relationships are illegal in Uganda, where they can be punished with up to life in prison for committing “unnatural offenses”.
